TRANSFER NEWS: Russell Wilson signs a $175.5 million contract with the…..
This summer, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be considered “in the mix” for every elite free agent and NFL Draft quarterback; at the moment, Russell Wilson is the most desirable option. Thus, they are now projected to be the first choice, should the Denver Broncos quarterback be released.
Feeling that the Broncos and Wilson are divorcing each other since the franchise benched the quarterback to hedge against his injury guarantees, the Steelers are always mentioned as Wilson’s next stop.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports predicted the landing destinations for every rumored impending quarterback trade this summer. Wilson is expected to sign a three-year, $90 million contract in Pittsburgh and move on to the AFC North.
“The former Seahawks star was always going to need an MVP-caliber resurgence to win new coach Sean Payton’s approval as the highly paid face of the franchise. He wasn’t bad in 2023, but his numbers also masked a general streakiness and sluggishness running the Broncos offense — all the way up to his polarizing Week 17 demotion, which effectively signaled the end of his short-lived Denver career. At 35, it’s clear Wilson is no longer the elite dual threat he once was. But his downfield touch returned at points in 2023, and he should have a decent market after his inevitable release, especially with Denver already paying his 2024 salary,” Benjamin writes.
The Steelers will have to figure out a few contracts next season, but will likely have some cap space to work with if they did decide to bring in a free agent quarterback. Offensive tackle Chuks Okorafor could be a name that is released to clear cap space, and defensive tackle Cam Heyward will likely need to renegotiate his $22 million cap hit as well.
Benjamin has other quarterbacks the Steelers could target heading elsewhere. Justin Fields finds himself in Atlanta for second and fourth-round picks, and Kirk Cousins remains in Minnesota, signing a two-year deal.