When Mike Tomlin decided to switch starting quarterbacks from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson after the first six weeks of the 2024 season, fans were skeptical of the decision... and for good reason, Wilson was dealing with a calf injury that mostly kept him off the field for training camp and the preseason.
The veteran quarterback looked like the best option for the team early on before the offense crumbled down the stretch—losing five straight games to close the season (including the playoffs). Regardless of his struggles late in the year, Art Rooney II expressed interest in bringing Wilson or Fields back on a multi-year contract.
While Wilson isn't the most intriguing option for Pittsburgh in 2025, there are teams out there with worse QB situations, and a few would love to get their hands on Wilson thanks to his experience, leadership, and poise. Both Wilson and Fields are free agents this year, and retaining both players is unreasonable from a salary cap perspective.
Last year, Wilson played on a veteran minimum contract from the Steelers, but he's slated to have a sizable deal in free agency. If Pittsburgh is unwilling to match the offer, these three AFC competitors could steal Wilson away from the Steelers in free agency.
Las Vegas Raiders
This fit makes too much sense to ignore. Now that the Las Vegas Raiders have hired Pete Carroll as their new head coach, what better way to turn things around quickly than to bring in a veteran quarterback who he worked with for a decade in Seattle?
Wilson isn't the same player he was when he last played for Carroll, but the Raiders have been dealing with scraps at QB over the past two years in players like Aidan O'Connell, Jimmy Garoppolo, Brian Hoyer, Gardner Minshew, and Desmond Ridder. Wilson would be a notable improvement over this group.
Carroll, 73, will want to win now, and Wilson at least gives the Raiders a shot to be more competitive in a tough AFC West division.
New York Jets
The Jets have had such bad luck at the quarterback position for decades that even future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers couldn't solve their problems. Rodgers was a headache for New York to deal with and the blockbuster trade didn't turn out as expected.
Just like the Broncos did last offseason, the Jets could get out of Rodgers' deal as the 41-year-old QB is clearly on his last legs. Wilson is no spring chicken, but he has a bigger arm and more mobility at this stage of his career. If the Jets are looking for a bridge QB who could step in and help players develop before finding a franchise signal-caller, they could fork up for Russell Wilson.
Cleveland Browns
In theory, poaching a starting quarterback from a division rival is a two-fold swing that would help your team and handicap another. While we can't say for sure this would happen if the Cleveland Browns signed Russell Wilson, it's worth a shot for a team that has been abysmal at finding competent quarterback play.
Deshaun Watson had a significant setback to his Achilles injury and won't be ready. At this point, Cleveland could cut bait with their troubled signal-caller. With a talented roster and a defense that could help them win now, this team that won 11 games in 2023 with dismal QB play may feel that Wilson is enough to get them into the playoffs.
By signing Russell Wilson, the Browns could hold off their franchise quarterback search for one more year and use the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on a generational talent like Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter.