It appears that Russell Wilson is poised to join the Pittsburgh Steelers after a lackluster two-year stint with the Denver Broncos is set to conclude this week.
The 35-year-old quarterback hinted at his impending signing with the Steelers in a social media video, where he tagged the team and included footage of Pittsburgh fans waving their iconic ‘Terrible Towels,’ along with the caption: “Year 13. Grateful.”
Sources such as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter have indicated that Wilson is expected to ink a one-year deal with Pittsburgh once the new league year commences on March 13.
Rapoport mentioned that the agreement will come at a cost of $1.2 million for the Steelers. As per Spotrac, a website tracking player salaries, Wilson will still impact the Broncos’ salary cap in 2024 and 2025, as they owe him $39 million next season, minus whatever sum the Steelers pay him. The NFL recently announced that the salary cap per team would be increased to $255.4 million.
Wilson is likely to vie for the starting quarterback position against Kenny Pickett, who has been at the helm for Pittsburgh over the past two seasons with mixed results.
Pickett, selected as the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has grappled with injuries and inconsistent performances since joining the team from the University of Pittsburgh. Despite a record of 14-10 as a starter, he has thrown 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He was sidelined towards the end of last season due to injury and replaced by Mason Rudolph, who started the team’s Wild Card playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Wilson’s move to Pennsylvania follows two underwhelming seasons in Colorado, with the Broncos announcing earlier in the month their intention to release him on March 13 after failing to deliver the desired success to the franchise following his trade from the Seattle Seahawks in 2022.
Denver’s decision to acquire Wilson in exchange for significant assets, including multiple draft picks, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive tackle Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant, is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s worst trades due to its financial ramifications and lack of success.
During his tenure with the Broncos, Wilson amassed an 11-19 record, with the team missing the playoffs on both occasions and the nine-time Pro Bowler being benched at the end of the 2023 season.
According to NFL sources, the Broncos will incur a staggering $85 million in dead salary over the next two years due to Wilson’s release, marking the largest dead cap hit in league history.
Wilson, a Super Bowl XLVIII champion during his stint with the Seattle Seahawks, boasts impressive career statistics, including 43,653 passing yards, 334 touchdowns, and 106 interceptions in the NFL.
