The Russell Wilson experiment in Denver is over. What started as a dream of Super Bowl glory returning to the Mile High City quickly turned into a dismal failure. Wilson and the Broncos never gelled, limping to an 11-19 record with Russ as the starter.
on monday The team announced that Wilson would be officially released., the release will take place after March 13, spreading his monumental cap hit over two years. After a terrible 2022, Russ bounced back in a big way in 2023, showing that even at age 35, he still has the ability to be a top-tier quarterback in the right situation.
Wilson will quickly become one of the most coveted quarterbacks in free agency. His performance is one thing, but perhaps more important is the offset language in his massive contract extension with the Broncos. This essentially allows the team to sign Wilson to the NFL veteran minimum. That means he will have little impact on the team’s cap space. Here are the teams that should definitely be interested in Russ when he becomes a free agent on March 13th.
las vegas raiders
The Raiders are a good team in a tough division and are in dire need of some pop at the quarterback position. Signing Jimmy Garoppolo in 2023 was a terrible outcome for Las Vegas, as Jimmy G was struggling even before his season-ending injury. This is largely due to Josh McDaniels’ horrible coaching.
Still, it’s clear the Raiders need to form a new identity. Russ is a short-term solution to Las Vegas’ biggest problem, and all the pieces are in place to make this work. Add in the extra effort of Russ getting a chance to stick up for the Broncos twice a year, and this becomes a really attractive package.
If you’re looking for a favorite to sign Wilson, this is it.
pittsburgh steelers
No one really knows what the Steelers are doing at quarterback other than “something new.” The 2022 selection of Kenny Pickett, who has struggled to make any impact in Pittsburgh over the past two years, has proven to be a huge mistake.
The Steelers feel like a team looking for a long-term option at the position, and ultimately would rather trade for a player like Justin Fields than sign Russell Wilson, though. Russ is a solid backup plan for a playoff team. A more reliable player under center increases chances.
If Wilson’s motivation is to win, Pittsburgh offers one of the best situations to do that. This team is seriously poised to make the playoffs despite being in the AFC North.
atlanta falcons
Here are the parts of the list that need your attention. Lately, there have been big rumors that the Falcons are moving forward with signing Kirk Cousins, and would like to compete right away with a proven veteran quarterback, either by trading for Justin Fields or drafting a signal-caller. I long for it.
Cousins remains QB1 in free agency, but if he is released, a move from Russ to Atlanta would become even more likely. The appeal here is obvious. The NFC South is still rebuilding a dumpster fire. It takes very little to win this division. This could be an interesting matchup considering how talented the Falcons are from top to bottom beyond his QB.
If the Falcons come up short on signing Cousins, moving Russ to Atlanta feels like a very real possibility.
minnesota vikings
This is an extension of the Atlanta situation. If the Falcons can convince Cousins to join, the Vikings will be at a huge disadvantage at the QB position.
It’s very likely that Minnesota will address a long-term need at the draft position, but picking at No. 11 would mean trading up or acquiring a player that will require a little more effort. To this end, Wilson could be a great bridge quarterback to get them over the hump.
Plus, the Vikings are here. Better For parting with Russ. The nature of his offset language means he is a minimal signing, which dramatically changes Minnesota’s cap situation. Signing Russ to the bare minimum and leaving Kirk alone would give them the money to re-sign Daniel Hunter and leave money to work on Justin Jefferson’s looming contract extension.
It’s certainly an interesting situation.
new england patriots
All signs point to the Pats taking a quarterback with the No. 3 pick, but what if they don’t? This team could do a lot worse than signing Wilson and selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. as the genius wide receiver the team was missing forever.
This feels like the least likely of the teams available, but New England could go in this direction and evaluate their roster for the season under Jerrod Mayo and then move on to a long-term signal in 2025. It is still possible to aim to find the caller. There’s a lot of unknowns about New England’s plans at this point, which is why they’re on the list.
