Russell Wilson travels to meet with Steelers, had preliminary meeting with Giants
The Pittsburgh Steelers said they had "full faith" in Kenny Pickett, but maybe "full" was the wrong word to use.
The Steelers are looking around. They are bringing in Russell Wilson for a visit Friday according to numerous reports including The Athletic. The Denver Broncos announced they will release Wilson at the start of the new league year next Wednesday, but Wilson has been given permission to talk to other teams.
A visit doesn't mean the team will definitely sign the former Denver Broncos quarterback, though it's an indication of what everyone knew: The Steelers would like an upgrade over their current quarterback situation.
There will be other teams who will be interested in at least talking to Wilson. That includes the New York Giants, surprisingly.
Steelers, Giants show interest in Russell Wilson
The Giants had an "exploratory meeting" with Wilson, who was spotted at Newark Airport on Friday, via Adam Schefter of ESPN. It's no secret the Giants are in the mix to draft a first-round quarterback, but having discussions with Wilson indicates that Daniel Jones might be in even more trouble.
Wilson to the Steelers seems to be a decent fit. The Steelers need a better quarterback answer but don't have a ton of cap space or a great draft pick. They have a little more than $11 million in cap space, just eighth in the NFL according to Spotrac.
Wilson would give them a new option at quarterback at a cheap price. Because the Broncos are paying Wilson's $39 million salary for 2024 and there is offset language, a team could theoretically sign Wilson for the minimum salary this season. The Broncos would still be picking up a majority of the $39 million he is due.
Can Wilson turn it around?
The question for the Steelers, Giants or any other team interested in Wilson is whether he can play more like he did with the Seattle Seahawks and turn the page from two horrible Broncos seasons.
Wilson was excellent with the Seahawks, with nine Pro Bowls in 10 seasons, and the Broncos made a huge trade for him. That worked out as poorly as any trade in NFL history.
Wilson really struggled in 2022. He did play much better in 2023 but that wasn't enough for Broncos coach Sean Payton, who preferred to take on $85 million in dead cap charges by cutting Wilson rather than continuing on another season with him.
Wilson will turn 36 years old during next season and there's no guarantee he'll ever rebound to his prime form. But he's probably better than what the Steelers have now.
