Former NFL general manager and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum believes we will find out soon if Russell Wilson really loves football by how he handles his impending free agency.
Russell Wilson’s fall from being an elite-level quarterback over the last two seasons has been startling. The Denver Broncos traded for the Seattle Seahawks legend hoping he could bring the same sustained high-level success and it’s why they gave him a massive contract extension when they acquired him two years ago.
Unfortunately, after a pair of disappointing seasons in Colorado, his play and that $242 million contract is why the organization is expected to cut him in the coming days. There has been speculation about the plethora of teams the 35-year-old could be a fit for. Especially if he is willing to take a low-rate deal since he will paid $39 million in 2024 from his contract guarantees with Denver.
However, on a Friday morning edition of ESPN’s “Get Up” former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum suggested Russell Wilson could be like Joe Flacco was in 2024 and be an in-season edition for a desperate team.
- Russell Wilson stats (2023): 3,070 yards, 26 TDs, 8 INTs, 98 passer rating
“Russell Wilson at one point was a very good quarterback but he is a diminished skills athlete. He’s 11-19 over this last 30 starts. All his stats are going the wrong way and here’s what’s fascinating — Team X will say, ‘Hey Rus, come on in. We want you here on a one-year prove-it deal. You can be our starter.’ And he’ll say, ‘Well, that’s great. What are we thinking about 2025,'” Tannenbaum said.
“And they’ll say there are no guarantees. We are going to see how much Russell Wilson loves football. I would be shocked if he signs with anyone before May 1 because no one is going to give him 2025 guaranteed money,” he added. “So he’s going to say to himself, ‘Why in the world would I risk getting hurt when I could basically sit home and make $39 million.’ I do think he signs at some point. It may be like Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz, sometime in the season.”
Many have suggested Wilson could use the right team and situation to improve his standing in the league to extend his career. However, the former NFL general manager makes an interesting case. Maybe the nine-time Pro Bowler instead looks for the right scenarios to increase his money-making opportunities knowing his career close to an end.