Russell Wilson contract details prove Steelers got a bargain as Broncos lose millions

The Russell Wilson signing came with a mixed bag of reactions among Pittsburgh Steelers fans. It's easy to see how the former nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback will be an upgrade over a struggling Kenny Pickett, but the 35-year-old Wilson is just a quick fix at best.

After three down seasons (one in Seattle and two in Denver), there's no guarantee that Wilson will be able to bounce back with a good season. However, when exploring the other options, this may have been the best route to take.

One thing that fans can't argue with is the cost.

After the Denver Broncos announced that they were releasing Russell Wilson, it was rumored that he would sign a very cheap deal on his next contract... and that's exactly what he did.

Steelers will sign Russell Wilson for the veteran minimum

It doesn't get any cheaper than this -- especially considering what the Pittsburgh Steelers are getting in return. In this case, it happens to be a one-year, $1.2 million deal for Wilson.

This is a fraction of what the Steelers were set to pay Mitch Trubisky, and there's no question that Wilson will be an improvement from what Trubisky offered this team. It's also worth noting that Trubisky signed with the Bills on a two-year, $5.25 million deal with $2.7 million guaranteed. Meanwhile, the Vikings just handed a one-year, $10 million deal to Sam Darnold.

Wilson's new contract with the Steelers has to feel like a low blow to the Broncos. Denver will be forced to pay him $37.8 million not to be on the team this year. In comparison, Wilson's enter contract with the Steelers is 31 times smaller than the money the Broncos are forced to fork up for him in 2024.

Denver will also be forced to eat a total of $85 million in dead money that comes with getting out of Wilson's contract early. Seeing him sign for pennies with the Steelers has to make the front office sick about the trade that was made for Wilson during the 2022 offseason.

We don't know how Russell Wilson will look in the Black and Gold or whether or not he will be good enough to lead this team to playoff success. But one thing we do know: this is an extremely team-friendly deal, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are getting a bargain with their starting quarterback in 2024.