When the Denver Broncos and Russell Wilson publicized their divorce final week, hypothesis ran wild on the place the growing old nine-time Professional Bowl quarterback would land.
The Las Vegas Raiders headlined a Yahoo Sports activities ballot of quarterback brokers and league executives’ predictions.
However the one quarterback agent, who overachieved and ranked three prime guesses, waited to say the Raiders till third.
The agent slotted the Atlanta Falcons second.
And the Pittsburgh Steelers, in what now appears prescient, ranked first.
“Apparent want and a playoff crew,” the agent texted six days earlier than Wilson and the NFL tweeted obvious confirmations. “That is his finest shot to start out and have [a] aggressive crew.”
Wilson appears to agree. As a result of by Sunday evening, roughly 16 hours earlier than the Steelers might legally submit a deal to the league, Wilson tweeted a video.
Its caption: “12 months 13. Grateful. @Steelers”
The NFL’s official Twitter account chimed in to its 35 million followers: “.@DangeRussWilson is a Steeler!!”
The wedding is intriguing, with Wilson poised to compete with 2022 first-round draft choose Kenny Pickett and a probable third quarterback within the constructing (veteran journeyman Mason Rudolph ended the 2023 season beginning for Pittsburgh, however is scheduled to hit free company).
As fascinating is the haste with which the Steelers moved to lock up Wilson.
Certain, his $1.2 million veteran minimal wage is a pretty price ticket. However Wilson has additionally discovered blended reception in locker rooms and crew places of work, and his play declined sufficient to persuade the Broncos (and largely head coach Sean Payton) that $85 million in useless salary-cap house is extra palatable than calling upon the providers the Broncos will probably be paying for.
So why conform to a deal so shortly?
It is smart the Steelers would wish to lock up a participant they need (particularly at Wilson’s bargain-bin worth level) in an effort to plan the remainder of their personnel strikes and free company technique accordingly.
Wilson, although, had extra cause to attend. With cash as no object, why not assure his best probability to start out? Some executives and brokers believed Wilson would wait till after the NFL Draft to find a crew that wanted him, particularly in 2024. Discover a crew that didn’t get the quarterback it sought or a crew who did however is aware of the child wants time, league voices reasoned.
“Search for a crew with a younger and suspect QB,” an agent stated.
“Await harm? Like all mud has to settle,” an govt added.
Then got here one other govt who arrange a paradigm.
“In nearly all circumstances, the earlier the higher so he can get the system, reps, and so forth. …” the chief stated. “I’d really feel first rate that it’s completed shortly, if beginning.
“If he’s a backup, then all bets are off as a result of there’s not the identical quantity of urgency.”
Which brings us to what the Steelers might have revealed Sunday evening: We should always count on Wilson to be in reliable competition to start out for Pittsburgh in 2024.
Count on him to start out working with receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, and to start out studying first-year coordinator (and former Falcons head coach) Arthur Smith’s scheme. Count on Wilson to have a significant probability to supplant Pickett, who accomplished 62% of go makes an attempt for two,070 yards, six touchdowns and 4 interceptions in 12 video games final season. And count on Wilson to get actual snaps in offseason actions and coaching camp, whether or not or not Rudolph returns to the constructing. (The Steelers appear to have higher leverage to deliver Rudolph again at a less expensive worth now, if Rudolph desires to remain.)
Overlook the criticism of Wilson, who by the best way ranked eighth in passer score and ninth in touchdowns regardless of Payton benching him in December. Overlook Steelers basic supervisor Omar Khan’s assertions on the NFL scouting mix final month that he has “full religion in Kenny” amid “points within the offense final yr,” an on-camera quote that appeared to levy blame at coach and playbook and assuage it from participant.
Solely afterward did Khan provide up what is likely to be the truest a part of his assertion.
“We’ll have some robust competitors there” at quarterback, he stated, “and we’ll see the place it goes.”
It’s not exhausting to examine one highway the Steelers quarterback competitors might very probably journey. Ready on the finish, earlier than lengthy, is the coronation of Wilson.