There were a lot of potential topics to write about today: the Penguins being 1-6-0 in their last 7 games (including being shut out three times and being outscored 27-7 over their last 16 periods) amid trading away both Jake Guentzel and Chad Ruhwedel at the deadline, Pitt winning their last three games (and four of their last six) and still being on the outside looking in, despite Bracketology expert Joe Lunardi saying a month ago that this exact scenario would likely see Pitt on the cut line if not in the tourney, or even Manchester City lucking out with a 1-1 draw against a Liverpool side that dominated most of the match. I was going to wait until next week to have an NFL Free Agency entry, but when I woke up to a text from my dad saying, “I guess we ride. Lol”, the time to discuss the upcoming offseason became now.
The text was a reference to former Broncos’ quarterback Russell Wilson’s now-infamous saying, “Broncos’ Country, Let’s Ride”, a phrase about which many memes have been created. He said this shortly after the Broncos acquired him from the Seahawks in one of the biggest (and worst) trades in NFL history. The Broncos acquired Wilson and a 4th-round pick (Eyioma Uwazurike, whoever the hell that is) for Drew Lock, Shelby Harris, Noah Fant, two 1st-round picks (Charles Cross and Devon Witherspoon), two 2nd-round picks (Boye Mafe and Derick Hall), and a 5th-round pick (Tyreke Smith). If the trade was not bad enough, Wilson was signed to a 5-year, $242.6 million extension by Denver.
To say that this was a bad contract is an understatement. Russell Wilson played two years in Denver, starting 30 games and amassing 6594 passing yards, 42 passing touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. In isolation, those statistics are not bad. However, the team went 11-19 in those 30 starts, inflating his stats, as the Broncos were generally trailing early in games and forced to pass.
As a result, the Broncos cut Russ, signaling the end to one of the most underwhelming tenures by a blockbuster trade target in NFL history. His 5-year extension has not yet kicked in, and the Broncos are on the hook for $85 million of dead salary–they will be paying him a boatload of money to not play for them. In fact, they will be paying Russell Wilson $39 million this year to play for…the Steelers.
Because Wilson is being paid so much by the Broncos to play for us, the Steelers were able to sign him to a very cheap deal: 1 year at $1.21 million. I know that, when I first found out that Russell Wilson was going to be a Steeler, I was annoyed. I am one of five fans of the team that have not yet given up on 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett. I also know that the 35-year old Russell Wilson is long past his peak, and that his performance over the past couple seasons has been lackluster at best.
However, at $1.21 million, what is the harm in signing Russ? Hell, we gave Mitch Trubisky $10 million per year to be a miserable excuse for an NFL quarterback. It also is not like there is much risk. At best, he is a starting quarterback making the league minimum salary. At worst, he is a backup and mentor to Kenny Pickett who is being paid significantly less than almost any veteran backup would be willing to earn.
As I said, I am not ready to give up on Pickett yet. I want to see what he can do with Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator instead of Matt Canada. The numbers do not lie, however. In the two seasons since Ben Roethlisberger retired, Steelers quarterbacks have combined for 25 passing touchdowns with a passer rating of 81.5 and an average of 193 passing yards per game. In the same time frame, but in 4 fewer games, Russell Wilson threw for 42 touchdowns with a 90.9 passer rating and an average of 219 passing yards. Again, Wilson’s stats are inflated from playing from behind, but the difference between his numbers and those of the entire Steelers’ QB battery cannot only be explained by game situations. Wilson is clearly the more capable quarterback at this very moment.
I do not know if Russell Wilson will move the needle–there is a good chance the Steelers again finish slightly above .500 and exit the playoffs early (if they even make it in the first place). I do know two things though: 1). Russ will definitely come up with some incredibly corny slogan that sets the internet ablaze with mockery, and 2). This is a very low-risk signing that, at worst, pushes Pickett to improve and provides serviceable backup QB play in case of injury, and, at best, makes good use of the weapons at the Steelers’ disposal and propels the offense in a positive direction.