After two disappointing seasons with the Denver Broncos, Russell Wilson signed a one-year, $1.21 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was viewed by many as his last shot at saving his NFL career, and the 36-year-old quarterback has done a fantastic job.
Wilson missed the first six games of the year due to a calf injury but has since led the Steelers to a 6-2 record. He has played quite well, and NFL insider Jordan Schultz believes the veteran quarterback could get a similar contract to what Baker Mayfield got from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jordan Schultz Provides Update on Russell Wilson’s Future With Steelers
In a recent appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Schultz talked about how Wilson’s play in Pittsburgh somewhat resembles his days in Seattle.
“We have seen a version of Russell Wilson that compares favorably to Seattle Russell,” Schultz said. “It’s not quite the same, but only three interceptions, he’s only been sacked 21 times, and I think the biggest thing that Russell has going for him is a relationship with Mike Tomlin.”
The NFL insider also talked about how George Pickens is crucial for the team, and had he been healthy, Wilson’s recent dip in form might not have occurred. He mentioned that the quarterback’s relationship with Tomlin is key and has been the biggest reason behind his success.
"There is a very good chance Steelers extend Russell Wilson similarly to what Tampa did with Baker Mayfield — 3 years, $100 million."@Schultz_Report to @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/XEyyAz1sT8
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) December 20, 2024
Schultz added, “Because of that, that dates way back to when they met for multiple hours before Russ signed. Tomlin really advocated him to ownership, said this is the guy I can build around. … I’m telling you, Colin, there is a very good chance that the Steelers extend Russell Wilson, similarly to what Tampa did with Baker Mayfield, which was three years, $100 million.”
Mayfield was in a similar situation as Wilson, and the Buccaneers quarterback blossomed on a team with a better supporting cast and a head coach who believed in him. The Steelers are a Super Bowl contender this year, and a big reason for that is the level of play that the team has got from its quarterback.
In eight games, Wilson has thrown for 1,912 yards, 13 touchdowns, and three interceptions, completing 64.7% of his throws with a passer rating of 103.0. He fully deserves a contract extension from the Steelers, but what the team does with Justin Fields (a free agent after the 2024 season) remains to be seen.
The former Chicago Bears quarterback led the team to a 4-2 start to the season in Wilson’s absence, and his presence on the roster has brought the best out of the veteran quarterback.
Steelers Can Win the AFC North Division Title This Week
Pittsburgh is 10-4 heading into the Week 16 game against the Baltimore Ravens. A win on Saturday will seal the AFC North division title for them, the franchise’s 25th and the first one since 2020.
The Steelers came away with an 18-16 win against the Ravens in Week 11. Lamar Jackson is currently on a four-game losing streak to the Steelers, and all the pressure is on him to perform in Baltimore.
The Steelers can still win the division even if they lose on Saturday. However, Tomlin and Wilson will be determined to get the job done against the Ravens. Another win over their biggest rivals will also give Pittsburgh a significant mental advantage if the two teams face each other in the playoffs.
In the Week 11 win against the Ravens, Wilson was 23-of-36 passing for 205 yards and an interception. The nine-time Pro Bowler knows that for his team to win as a 6.5-point underdog, he needs to play much better than he did against them earlier in the season.
Russell Wilson’s QB Grade This Season
Here at Pro Football Network, we have created our own Quarterback+ (QB+) metric, which weighs statistics we value highly and then uses them to evaluate a quarterback across the current season.
Our metric uses numbers that are fully available through 2019, so that’s where the historical context comes from. All data referenced is relative to either the current season or in comparison to stats dating back to 2000 for most or 2019 for pressure-related data.
For the season, Wilson has a B grade (84.4).
We saw a slight concern with Wilson as the Steelers’ starting quarterback in Week 15. A C- performance is far from a disaster, but this past week was a chance for Wilson and his team to make a statement. The Eagles did not dominate the game, and if Wilson played well, the game is likely a lot closer than it was at the end.
Wilson had a -0.22 EPA/DB and struggled from a clean pocket, ranking 27th on the week at -0.11 EPA/DB. Converting just 30% of third downs while finishing with a 4.9 nYPA and a 3.9 YAC/Cp is not going to be enough against another high-end team.
It is somewhat of a shame because Wilson has been solid overall since taking over as the starter. He has a 7.6 nYPA but has relied heavily on a 5.9 YAC/Cp number, which ranks sixth. Wilson has avoided mistakes with a 4.3 TD/INT rate, but he’s not necessarily making the most difficult throws.
His overall numbers are good, but they have been inflated by some soft matchups. Serious questions remain about whether Wilson can elevate this team in big games against other playoff teams. We should find out in the next two weeks against the Ravens and Chiefs.