Is Russell Wilson really the answer for the Steelers?
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the NFL’s great, historic and most successful franchises, and will do everything possible to ensure their team is in a decent enough position to win.
They’ve made a bold move in taking a shot on veteran quarterback Russell Wilson in 2024, but one that could put them, and certainly one much more prosperous than with their pre-existing option.
General manager Omar Khan said less than two weeks ago that he had “full faith” in quarterback Kenny Pickett, a two-year starter since being drafted in 2022, and that the team wanted to re-sign free-agent quarterback Mason Rudolph, who surprisingly led Pittsburgh on a late run to the playoffs in 2023. But suddenly, the team is moving on, and want to be competitive with a potentially Hall of Fame-caliber QB, rather than struggling youngsters.
If anything, the move for Wilson is one with excellent financial upside, particularly given the amount Pittsburgh pays to key players across the roster. The Broncos will pay just under $38 million of Wilson’s $39 million guaranteed salary, meaning the Steelers will be giving up a pittance to have an established pro come in and improve their QB room.
It’s a move that shows the team is looking to do anything to win now, even if there is only an outside chance that the 35-year-old can return to his prime days, which he showed signs of potentially doing at points last season. Wilson led the Broncos to consecutive wins over Green Bay, Kansas City, Buffalo, Minnesota and Cleveland, before losing three of his last four before being benched.
On paper then, this looks like a low-risk, no-lose situation for Pittsburgh. Of course, there are downsides. The move practically ends Kenny Pickett’s starting career for the Steelers, and will eventually lead the team into another search for their franchise QB. And is Wilson, a play-action heavy quarterback, really the guy who Arthur Smith would want to lead his offense?
The Wilson experiment isn’t going to be a long-term solution, and could infact end up setting the team back in years to come. But, it’s important to the team that they are in a position to win now, which, with the talent the team has across the board, is a genuine possibility.
