Ex-Jets GM wants Steelers to sign 244-touchdown QB and trade Russell Wilson after preseason struggles
After two rough seasons with the Denver Broncos and an unceremonious exit at the end of the 2023 season, Russell Wilson aimed to redeem his reputation by joining the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, his time in Pennsylvania hasn't gotten off to the best start.
In his first outing with the team, during their 9-3 loss against the Buffalo Bills, Wilson completed eight of his 10 pass attempts for only 47 yards. The 35-year-old played five offensive series but the Steelers struggled to move the ball downfield with him under center.
Wilson's underwhelming outing prompted former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum to suggest on ESPN's Get Up that Pittsburgh should already look to move on from the former Broncos quarterback.
He opined that the Steelers should sign free agent Ryan Tannehill and reunite offensive coordinator Arthur Smith with his old signal-caller. As for Wilson, the former Jets executive suggested he should head to the NFC North and join the Minnesota Vikings, who recently lost rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy to a torn meniscus.
"I think a win-win here is to trade Russell Wilson to Minnesota. I think he's a better quarterback than Sam Darnold.... Then Ryan Tannehill still a free agent. You go back to the two years that Ryan Tannehill was with Arthur Smith at Tennessee. They had an unbelievable two year run, 18-8, they averaged 30 points per game," Tannenbaum said.
Tannenbaum added that the Steelers could keep Tannehill on the bench and start Justin Fields. He suggested that they could make a change under center if the young quarterback fails to deliver.
The last time the former Tennessee Titans star took charge of a Smith-led offense midway through the season, he was exceptional.
Ryan Tannehill and Arthur Smith's time together in Tennessee
During the 2019 season, the Titans' season got off to a poor start with Marcus Mariota under center. After six games, they had a 2-4 record and were slipping out of playoff contention.
In Week 7, they opted to make a change at quarterback and brought in Ryan Tannehill. The move altered the course of their campaign. The veteran executed offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's game plan to perfection and led Tennessee to a 7-3 record over their final 10 games.
In the playoffs, they shockingly beat the New England Patriots and ended Tom Brady's time with the franchise before thrashing the Baltimore Ravens (28-12) in the Divisional Round. They made their way to the AFC Championship Game, but the Kansas City Chiefs proved to be a bridge too far for the Titans. Nevertheless, it was an incredible turnaround led by Tannehill.
The following year, Tennessee had another spectacular season where they finished with a record of 11-5 and won the division title. The Titans' high-powered offense, led by Tannehill and Smith, averaged 29.6 points, which was the fourth-highest in the league.
The duo are well-versed with each other and could potentially rekindle that spark that turned Tennessee into a force to be reckoned with. The Steelers haven't indicated whether they were looking to move on from Wilson; but if they did, Tannehill could be a viable option.