An NFL insider believes the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons could easily bring in Russell Wilson at a wildly low cost, but those teams would need to make a major guarantee they may be unwilling to.
Both the Falcons and Steelers have big questions at quarterback heading into the offseason. After a rock-solid rookie season, Kenny Pickett battled injuries and seemingly regressed in his sophomore year. While despite many chances, Desmond Ridder could never evolve into a reliable NFL starter.
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Many around the two teams believe they could look to target a veteran QB this spring in free agency, with Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield being the top names on the market. However, in the coming days, nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson could soon be up for grabs.
What makes the Wilson situation interesting is that the Broncos won’t be able to trade the Seattle Seahawks legend due to the massive guarantees in his contract for 2024 and ’25. Chances are they cut him before his guarantees for 2025 kick in on March 17. Which will nevertheless leave them on the hook for the $39 million owed to him.
- Russell Wilson stats (2023-24): 7-8 record, 3,070 passing yards, 26 TDs, 8 INTs, 98.0 rating
There has been speculation for months that Wilson would be open to taking a very team-friendly deal for next season with his next team. On Saturday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk went into more depth on the possible contract the 35-year-old could take from teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons, but with one huge caveat.
“In exchange for his willingness to take so little [he’ll want] a commitment that he’ll be the starter. That’s the only way he’ll resurrect his career for 2025,” Florio wrote. “… Wilson will want someone to roll out the red carpet while peeling off $1.21 million. The possibility of getting a starting quarterback for one year at $1.21 million should tempt any team with an unsettled quarterback situation.”
Considering the cost and how well he played at points last season it’s a fair agreement to make for teams that need QB upgrades like the Falcons and Steelers. However, the big question is would head coaches Mike Tomlin and Raheem Morris be willing to guarantee the starting spot upon signing?
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