Steelers Front Office Could Let Russell Wilson Walk

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson may be headed into free agency for a second offseason in a row.

Dec 1, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson has done nothing but impress since taking over as the team's starter, though it feels all but certain that he'll reach the open market in the offseason.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer is of the opinion that Wilson and the Steelers may run into a discrepancy in talks on a new deal should both parties continue to trend upwards, which is likely to result in the veteran signal caller becoming a free agent for the second year in a row.

"My guess would be in the case of Wilson, if he plays well and Pittsburgh makes a nice playoff run, then there may be enough of a divide in a negotiation that the Steelers could let him hit the market and ask him to give them the right to match whatever is out there," Breer wrote.

Furthermore, Breer stated that the Steelers have an organizational standard in place where they don't take part in negotiations with agents during the middle of the season, and that they have no plans of forgoing that rule in Wilson's case despite some uncertainty at quarterback moving forward.

The 36-year-old, who missed the first six games of the campaign with a calf injury, has put up 1,626 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions over his six starts while leading Pittsburgh to a 5-1 record.

After the Denver Broncos took on $85 million in dead money by releasing Wilson before the third season of his five-year, $245 million contract, he signed with the Steelers for just $1.21 million back in March. It goes without saying that he's earned himself quite the raise from that number, which is only climbing while he produces at a high level.

Justin Fields is a notable piece of the puzzle as well, given that he too will become a free agent this upcoming offseason. Breer noted that for Pittsburgh to retain both players, which in all likelihood is the ideal outcome for the organization, Wilson would have to fetch a deal that comes in at a lower-than-expected figure while Fields isn't able to secure a starting job elsewhere.

"So, for all this to come together, and for both guys to be back next year, I think Wilson’s value would have to land in a place where, after he hits the market, the Steelers would be able to sign a second veteran quarterback contract and Fields’s pursuit of a shot to start somewhere else would have to fail," Breer wrote. "Either that, or Wilson flattens out the rest of the year, and he and Fields both would have to come back on reasonable deals."

It's hard to imagine a world where Wilson isn't back in the black and gold barring a sigificant drop in his play, as Breer stated. The Steelers' self-imposed embargo on contract discussions would expire once the season concludes, and it's possible that they hammer out an agreement with him at that point.

If Pittsburgh does, in fact, allow Wilson to explore his options on the open market and chooses not to pay him, the team runs the risk of once again falling into quarterback purgatory depending on what happens with Fields. It should make for an interesting offseason, though it's not something to presently worry about as the Steelers focus on a potential playoff run.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI to get all your daily Pittsburgh Steelers news, interviews, breakdowns and more!

• Steelers Activate Cory Trice Jr. Off IR
• Steelers Keep Winning Diontae Johnson Trade
• Steelers Host Former Browns DT
• Insider: Steelers Watching Najee Harris Price Go Up
• Chiefs Sign Former Steelers Kicker