After an illustrious career with the Seattle Seahawks and a disappointing finish with the Denver Broncos, Russell Wilson is a free agent for the first time in his long career. One team that is surprisingly interested in the quarterback’s services is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While the Steelers openly committed to former first-round pick Kenny Pickett this offseason, Wilson is scheduled to visit with the organization today after an “exploratory” visit with the New York Giants.
Wilson may be considered an upgrade over the mediocre quarterback play Pittsburgh has dealt with since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, but not every major NFL analyst believes so.
Damien Woody Sounds Off on Potential Steelers-Russell Wilson Pairing
Wilson may be considered a Pro Bowl quarterback, but those days are long gone, according to ESPN NFL Analyst Damien Woody. On Get Up on Friday morning, the former offensive lineman stated that, due to Pittsburgh’s defense of Pickett, a position battle would be a likely training camp storyline.
And he’s not sure Wilson will be able to win that battle.
“What this tells me is Russell has to be about this football life now. There’s a big possibility that if he goes to Pittsburgh, he might lose out to Pickett, and it might not be fair,” Woody said. “He could outplay him but [Pittsburgh might] still ride with [Pickett] because he’s their first-round pick.”
Pickett has started 24 games in two seasons with the Steelers and is 14-10 as a starter. He has thrown for over 4,000 yards and completed over 60% of his passes while adding just 13 touchdown passes. The lackluster numbers could be highlighted by the poor showing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada, but after suffering an ankle sprain late in the year, he lost the job to Mason Rudolph who led Pittsburgh to the playoffs.
Rudolph is expected to hit free agency this offseason, and the Steelers have hired Arthur Smith to run their offense in 2024.
That combination, along with the history of the Steelers, is why Woody is apprehensive of Wilson going to the Steel City in free agency.
KEEP READING: Former Broncos QB Russell Wilson and Team Have ‘Exploratory Meeting’
“This would be a dangerous situation for Russell. I think this Steelers team isn’t giving up on Kenny … We’re talking about the Steelers organization that has three coaches [since 1969]. They aren’t just going to throw away a guy they just drafted a couple of years ago.”
Wilson will have several suitors for his services, but if the Steelers are going to be one of them, a past Pro Bowl offensive lineman has been quick to warn the quarterback against it.
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