The Denver Broncos’ high-profile acquisition of former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson didn’t unfold as expected.
While Wilson did display flashes of his Super Bowl-winning form, there were significant stretches during which he struggled and performed as one of the NFL’s weakest starting quarterbacks as part of his new team.
The clash in styles between Wilson and the first-year Broncos head coach, Sean Payton, added another layer of complexity. Coach Payton is in the process of reshaping the team’s identity following the dismissal of his predecessor, Nathaniel Hackett.
This led to the decision to bench Wilson during the season to prevent the Broncos from having to fulfill substantial contract incentives.
It’s becoming increasingly unlikely that Wilson will return for the next season. Jeff Saturday, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, shared his insights on ESPN’s Get Up, suggesting that the Pittsburgh Steelers could be the ideal destination for Wilson.
“Russell Wilson for Arthur Smith would be the best fit. He wants to play under center. He wants play action. He’s a veteran quarterback, all the different things. I get the whole zone read thing, but Arthur Smith can create a run game no matter what he does. As good as anybody… And you have a vet guy in there that’s won a bunch of games. I know people hate him; dude wins a bunch of freaking games.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers have faced considerable challenges in the quarterback position since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. The prospect of Wilson joining this esteemed franchise holds the promise of benefiting both parties.
Whatever the Steelers decide to do, they need much better play at the quarterback position. Kenny Pickett took a huge step back in 2023 and they’ll need to figure out if he can be the guy moving forward.
Should Mike Tomlin and company end up deciding that Pickett can’t be their franchise quarterback, Wilson would be a great alternative option.
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