After weeks of speculation, the Denver Broncos announced Monday that they will make it official and release quarterback Russell Wilson when the new NFL league year begins March 13.
So where will the once-great quarterback land?
One team expected to be active in the veteran quarterback market is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who face uncertainty at the position after their offense struggled in 2023 with Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph under center.
The Steelers have also been connected to Justin Fields.
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But what do the odds say now that we know Wilson is definitely leaving Denver?
The Steelers are still the clear-cut betting favorites to land Wilson. In fact, their odds only improved after Monday’s news.
After Steelers’ odds of landing Wilson shifted drastically from +1400 to -110 in February, they shortened further to -200 after his departure from Denver became certain. The Las Vegas Raiders also saw a huge move up the oddsboard, as their odds shortened from +600 in February to +275 as of Monday.
Let’s dive into the updated odds at DraftKings Sportsbook: *
Pittsburgh Steelers, -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)
Las Vegas Raiders, +275 (bet $10 to win $37.50 total)
Atlanta Falcons, +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
New England Patriots, +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Minnesota Vikings, +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Washington Commanders, +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Tennessee Titans, +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
New York Giants, +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Chicago Bears, +3000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
* odds as of 3/4/2024
Russell Wilson to be released after two seasons with Broncos
Despite still finding success in the regular season, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has struggled to find a replacement for Ben Roethlisberger that can elevate his team in the playoffs.
The Steelers have been eliminated in the first round in each of their last three playoff appearances and might be looking to pivot from Pickett, the 2022 No. 20 overall pick.
According to one NFL Insider, “We know that Pittsburgh is going to go out and get some type of quarterback … whether that’s Ryan Tannehill, whether that’s Russell Wilson or whether that’s Justin Fields.”
The Wilson experiment in Denver was nothing short of disappointing, as the nine-time Pro Bowler has struggled to unearth his former magic in his two years as a Bronco, and the team just missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.
Why Russell Wilson to the Steelers could work
Denver’s acquisition of Super Bowl-winning head coach Sean Payton was meant as a last-ditch effort to “fix” Wilson. And despite Wilson putting up better numbers than during his inaugural season with the Broncos under former head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Payton ultimately benched Wilson for backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham late in the season.
However, Colin Cowherd believes Wilson could fit with Tomlin and new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh.
“Russell Wilson is refined, he wins, he’s efficient, he’s accurate,” Cowherd said on The Herd. “He’s a defined player. We know what he is. He’s not in his prime, but he’s not that far past it. The Steelers, frankly on offense, could use his commitment, could use his maturity, could use his experience and could use his accuracy. … He doesn’t turn over the ball that much, he can play within a system and do some ad-libbing also. When Russell went to Denver, he was viewed as a savior. That’s not what he is here. Pittsburgh’s winning with Kenny Pickett. They don’t need a savior.”
Denver now has to deal with an $85 million dead cap hit over the next two seasons, by far the highest in NFL history.
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