On March 8, 2022, the Denver Broncos announced an agreement on a blockbuster deal to acquire Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. In exchange, the Seahawks sent three players from their roster, two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round selection for Wilson to wear the orange crush. Shortly after the trade, the team agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $254 million. Two years later, on March 4, 2024, the team decided they could not continue their relationship with the NC State alum and released him. The Broncos will have to pay Wilson’s 39-million-dollar salary for 2024, while it will cost the team 85 million dollars against the cap over the next two years.
The decision appears to be drastic given that Wilson statistically had a decent season by completing 66.4% of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions. It feels that Wilson and Head Coach Sean Payton could not coexist in Denver. However, I think Wilson can still be a quality starting quarterback for a team in the 2024 season. In this article, we will discuss the top three teams that should pursue Wilson in free agency.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers- the team went 10-7 and surprised many by sneaking into the playoffs as the 7th seed. Unfortunately, the Steelers met their match in Buffalo, and the Bills eliminated Pittsburgh from the playoffs. The team went through a tailspin due to the speculation over Mike Tomlin’s future. Thankfully, Tomlin has committed himself to being on the sidelines next season, and this team is one quarterback from being real challengers for the Super Bowl. The Steelers ranked at the bottom of the league in total yards, touchdowns, and points per game. Last year’s starting quarterback, Kenny Pickettt, threw only six touchdowns in 12 games last season. Mason Rudolph emerged as a viable backup, but Wilson has the potential to elevate this offense. Wilson would have talented young weapons on the outside with Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, while Najee Harris will take a step further in being a dominant running back. The expectations will not be as high for Wilson in the Steel City because Pittsburgh has a top 5 defense that keeps them in games. I think this is the ideal landing spot for number 3.
2. Oakland Raiders- the team was 3-4 after a disastrous 30-12 road loss to the Chicago Bears, and owner Mark Davis decided it was time to act by firing Head Coach Josh McDaniels. Davis wisely decided to move former Giants Linebacker Antonio Pierce into the role of Interim Head Coach. Pierce led the team to a 5-4 finish including winning 3 of the last four games to finish the season. One of the Raiders’ biggest struggles was offensively because they ranked 26th in the league in average yards and touchdowns. Jimmy Garoppolo and Aiden O’Connell struggled to provide production from the quarterback position. At 13th place in the draft, speculations are that Pierce will want to draft a quarterback in the draft. However, could he be tempted to sign Russell and still draft the quarterback who will get to learn from the veteran in a competitive environment? In 2021 trade talks with Seattle, Wilson had listed Las Vegas as one of his preferred destinations, and now he will be paired with Davante Adams. A reborn Wilson and a motivated Adams could be a deadly combination for the league.
3. Atlanta Falcons- the Dirty Birds will have a shot at winning the NFC South next season because despite a 7-10 record, they barely missed out on the NFC South crown. The team is looking to build on last season by signing a quarterback this offseason. Unfortunately for Wilson, he will likely not be the priority on their list, with Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, and hometown player Justin Fields the bigger free agents. However, if Atlanta fails to sign any of the above, they may turn their attention to Wilson. Atlanta has the young pieces to make Wilson’s stint a success, with Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson studs at the Tight End and Running Back positions. Wilson could provide the leadership this team needs and galvanize the troops to make the 2024 season end successfully.