We are still very early in the 2024 offseason, but we know of at least two starting quarterbacks from the 2023 season who will be on new teams this year. Justin Fields will be looking for a fresh start, as the Chicago Bears are in a prime position to hit the reset button and start over with Caleb Williams. The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the rumored teams that could be in the mix for a potential trade.
The other quarterback who is sure to leave his current team is Russell Wilson. The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback and former Super Bowl champion was extremely disappointing with the Denver Broncos as he failed to elevate the performance of his team.
Unlike the situation with Fields and the Bears, there isn't a team out there that would even consider taking on Wilson's lucrative contract figures, and despite the draft capital and financial investment to acquire him from the Seahawks in a trade during the 2022 offseason, Denver is expected to release him soon.
Recently, NFL analyst Bucky Brooks listed the Steelers among three potential teams for Wilson in 2024. The other two include the Patriots and the Giants.
Steelers are realistic suitors for Russell Wilson
I previously wrote an article on why Russell Wilson might be the most realistic external quarterback option for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, and I'm not the only one who thinks so. While I wouldn't be thrilled at the idea of going from Kenny Pickett to Wilson, it makes sense as to why Pittsburgh could go with this stop-gap veteran.
For starters, the Steelers would not have to trade for Wilson, which means they would keep all seven draft choices and any future draft capital in their pocket. It has also been projected that Wilson could be willing to sign for as low as the veteran minimum with his next team, as he will simply be looking for another chance to start and prove that he still has it.
It's also not hard to believe that Mike Tomlin could love Wilson's pedigree and body of work in the NFL. Even with two disastrous seasons in Denver (and one in Seattle before that), Wilson still boasts an eye-popping 115-72-1 career record as a starter. Additionally, it's worth noting that -- even in a bad year in 2023 -- Wilson still managed to play 15 games and finish with 26 touchdowns and 8 interceptions for a passer rating of 98.0.
Considering Pickett's career passer rating is just 78.8, this could be viewed as a sizeable upgrade. What Tomlin would love most is that the price would be right, and -- because his next contract is projected to be so cheap -- he could allow for true competition between Pickett and Wilson during the summer.
Adding a 35-year-old (and potentially washed-up) Russell Wilson to the Steelers' roster in 2024 does not seem ideal, but we can't say that it's unrealistic. This could be the cheapest option that still gives Pittsburgh a player who has played in plenty of big games throughout his NFL career.