As the 13-year veteran plays on for the Pittsburgh Steelers, his peculiar situation continues to generate discussion and controversy. The 36-year-old will make his NFL debut in 2024 with his third team in four years, so maybe the third time really is the charm.
After an odd and disappointing two years, Wilson was released by the Denver Broncos, but they were still liable for the $37.8 million guaranteed portion of his 2024 salary. Wilson was gladly obliged by the Steelers, who offered him a team-friendly $1.2 million veteran minimum for a single season.
The Steelers increased their efforts to renovate their quarterback room last week when they acquired Justin Fields, a former first-round pick, from the Chicago Bears. In addition, Pittsburgh sent its own former first-round quarterback, Kenny Pickett, to the Philadelphia Eagles at the 25-year-old’s request. Pickett was reportedly unhappy with the team’s selection of Wilson.
Given that Wilson might not even make it through training camp, perhaps Steelers Nation and the other members of “Team 3” should put the brakes on their supporter. This week, Adam Schefter of ESPN provided an update on the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh during his appearance on NFL Live.
“Justin Fields is the backup, and Russell Wilson is the starter heading into training camp,” Schefter stated.
Schefter went on, “They can designate Fields as the backup and Russell Wilson as the starter.” “In actuality, they have the option to let this play out during camp and take any action that is best for that football team. There is no duty, loyalty, or commitment to any of these guys. Neither of them cost them a lot of money. An executive told me they could see them cutting him before the season if Justin Fields outperformed him during training camp.
