Steelers Continue To Work On Contract With Russell Wilson After "Very Positive" Meeting

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been linked to former Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson over the past few weeks by nearly every media outlet. Then news broke that Wilson had traveled to Pittsburgh to meet with the team, after a meeting with the New York Giants, and that the meeting apparently went "great." 

Josina Anderson from CBS Sports reported that Wilson reached out to some unnamed members of the team to do "his homework" before meeting with new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. Anderson said that all involved appeared happy with the conversations. 

Now, there is further confirmation that the interest between the Steelers and Wilson is true. Jeremy Fowler, from ESPN, did a free agency round-up at the new league year is quickly approaching. Wilson to Pittsburgh is becoming more and more of a possibility.

"Pittsburgh's interest in Wilson is indeed real, as was assured to me by a team source. Wilson arrived at the Steelers facility on Friday afternoon and had what a source described as a "very positive" meeting with the club."

Wilson, who took the Seattle Seahawks to two Super Bowls, winning one, is now 35 and feels like he still has gas in the tank. This appears to be more critical to him to prove himself more than ever after a rocky two years in Denver. When Wilson was brought on board with the Broncos, he was expected to be some kind of savior who would magically fix the offensive woes that have plagued them.

They signed him to a massive five-year, $242.6 million contract in 2022. Head Coach Sean Payton has told Wilson they will no longer need his services and that he is free to speak with other teams. This does not absolve them of their financial obligations, they will take a monumental dead cap hit over the next two seasons. Fowler finished his analysis with what everyone is already thinking: Wilson won't want to be a backup.

"It's hard to imagine Wilson as anything other than a starter," Fowler wrote.

He was a third-round pick by the Seahawks in 2012 and during his career, he was selected to nine Pro Bowls. He has thrown for 43,653 yards with 334 touchdowns and 106 interceptions. 

Steelers Will Have To Decide Between Russell Wilson and Kenny Pickett

Ever since the rumor mill started connecting Wilson to the Steelers, analysts have been sharply divided on how much he would help the team. There are those, like Mark Schlereth, who think Wilson is "garbage." His critics said that he is past his prime and that he was cancerous in the locker room. According to Schlereth, he threw the ball behind the line of scrimmage more than any other quarterback. He also took longer to throw the ball than anyone except Justin Fields. In 2023, in Denver, Wilson completed 297 out of 447 attempted passes, which gave him a completion percentage of 66%, along with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. 

The Steelers will have to decide what to do with third-year quarterback Kenny Pickett if they sign Wilson. Pickett has a completion percentage of 62.6% during teh 25 games he's played in, as well as 13 touchdowns and a matching set of 13 interceptions. 

What do you think the Steelers should do? is Wilson a better choice than Pickett? How likely do you think it is that they sign Wilson? Click to comment below.

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