While the official start of free agency isn’t set to begin for another handful of days, there are already plenty of rumors swirling about where Russell Wilson will eventually end up. The recently released quarterback has full permission to speak to other teams, and is apparently already making his initial visits to potentially interested teams, at least according to one source.
Source Says Russell Wilson On His Way To Pittsburgh
Free agent QB Russell Wilson, who has permission to visit teams now, was spotted this morning at a Newark Airport catching a flight to Pittsburgh to visit the #Steelers, said a source who saw him take pics and hang out with fans before boarding the flight. pic.twitter.com/CorG3n2bLH
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2024
The Pittsburgh Steelers figure to be big players on the quarterback market this off-season. The team just endured another average season with below-average quarterback play, and will likely be looking for a big upgrade over Kenny Pickett. All teams would of course like to target a young draft prospect to come in and be the eventual starter, but the Steelers don’t have a lot in the way of valuable assets considering that they are slotted at #20 for the upcoming selection process.
So, it looks like the veteran free agent market will be the go-to option. The selection is thin, though, with Kirk Cousins being far and away the biggest name on the list, but Wilson’s presence helps add depth to this year’s class.
And while there were talks about a connection between Pittsburgh and current Chicago Bears’ quarterback Justin Fields, it seems that the team will has included Wilson in the players they’d be interested in bringing aboard.
Wilson Could Be The Best Option On The Market For Steelers
Russell Wilson and Steelers have ‘mutual interest’ and plan to meet before free agency, per @gerrydulac pic.twitter.com/f5zNbcX3BW
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 7, 2024
On Friday morning, it was reported by NFL insider Ian Rapaport that sources saw Russell Wilson at Newark Airport in New York, apparently catching a flight to Pittsburgh. He was taking pictures and hanging out with fans before boarding his plane, the source added.
Wilson may appear as the best option for the Steelers at the moment. Bringing in the younger Fields would likely require signing him to a longer-term contract than the team may be comfortable with, and Wilson may only need a 2 or 3 year commitment at most given his advancing age. Perhaps there is a quarterback prospect that they like in the late first round or even in the second, and view the former Seahawk and Bronco as a potential stop-gap.
Wilson wasn’t as terrible in 2023 as he was the season prior. His passing yard total was the lowest of his career, but he was around his usual averages in touchdowns and interceptions thrown, and improved his record as a starter to 7-8 after going 4-11 the year before.
The Broncos are set to eat $85 million in dead cap money over the next two seasons.
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