NFL rumors: Russell Wilson gets more bad news, AFC team rules out move for $242,000,000 Broncos star
Most have known for a while that Russell Wilson's time as a Denver Bronco was over as, since the outset, the marriage hasn't worked. The consensus is that coach Sean Payton is looking to draft a quarterback, and that means the end of the line for Wilson in Denver.
While Wilson wasn't the Broncos' biggest problem last year, when the team fails, naturally it starts and stops with the quarterback, despite him having a better season in 2023 than he did in 2022.
So, with Wilson set to be on the move this offseason, will there be a big market for him? Well, one team has already pulled out of the race as the Pittsburgh Steelers have distanced themselves from signing a veteran quarterback this offseason, The Athletic reported.
So, the Steelers would rather have a quarterback battle between Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph than sign Russell Wilson, and in truth, that tells you all you need to know about Wilson's fall from grace.
There is a thought that Wilson could remain on the Broncos' roster in 2024, but if he is a pre-June cut, Denver would save $49.6 million but have a dead cap hit of $85 million, and if he is a post-June 1 cut, Denver wouldn't save a cent and would have to eat $35.4 million in dead cap money per Over The Cap.
So, a decision has to be made one way or the other, and it appears that Russell Wilson's time in Denver is over.
Would Russell Wilson have suitors if Denver parted ways?
Several teams desperately need a quarterback, but has Russell Wilson diminished how other teams see him with his two poor years in Denver?
Possibly, and the likes of the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders are all teams that need a quarterback but might balk at the money Wilson would want.
Additionally, Wilson's age might be a stumbling block (36) as teams might want to go younger instead of only having a couple of years with Russell at the helm.
The Steelers were looming as the favorite to land Wilson, but now with the news coming out that they aren't interested, it makes this rather interesting.
Could Russell Wilson be a backup in 2024? That idea has been floated around, but is there a team that could handle having Wilson as a backup, and could the team's starting quarterback handle that pressure, too?
Either way, Wilson's future not only in Denver, but the NFL is murky and shows no signs of becoming clearer anytime soon.