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Russell Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, and it seems like his time with the AFC North team may be limited to just that one year.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote about the situation Monday and said he feels “Wilson is going elsewhere” this offseason.
“This week some pro-Wilson narratives surfaced, and my sense is that probably wouldn’t be very well received by the Steelers as they mull their future at the position,” he wrote while also noting the team is interested in bringing Justin Fields back but not as the surefire starter and instead someone who would once again have to compete for playing time.
Fields started the 2024 campaign under center because of Wilson’s calf injury, and the former Chicago Bears signal-caller went 4-2 as a starter with 10 total touchdowns to one interception.
However, head coach Mike Tomlin made the switch to Wilson when the veteran was healthy, and it seemed to be the right call when Pittsburgh went 6-1 in the next seven games. Yet the team then dropped the final four regular-season games before losing to the rival Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round.
The Steelers didn’t reach the 20-point mark in any of those final five contests and now have a decision to make at the most important position.
“Wilson wasn’t an innocent bystander in all of that. His limitations in the dropback game, and throwing the ball over the middle of the field, could only be worked around for so long,” Breer wrote. “And so some friction surfaced as the season circled the drain, and the collapse showed that, while the Steelers are consistently in the running, they aren’t all that close to the elite.”
Fields is just 25 years old, while Wilson is 36. If both have limitations, it makes more sense to bring back the younger one who at least brings his elite running ability to the table, which can add another element to the offense.
There was a time when Wilson was one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL during his peak on the Seattle Seahawks, but he was just 26th in the league in QBR during the 2024 season, per Pro Football Reference.
Signs are indicating the Steelers will move on this offseason, which means he will likely need to find another team looking for a veteran option who could either start or be a bridge quarterback until someone younger is ready to take over.
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