The Denver Broncos finally announced on Monday their intent to release quarterback Russell Wilson at the start of the league year.
The Broncos will eat a record amount of dead cap space to process the release, which will pair with the astronomical compensation Denver originally gave the Seattle Seahawks for Wilson in 2022.
Denver will now try to find the quarterback of the future, while Wilson will attempt to get a fresh start somewhere else in the NFL.
Where might Wilson sign? While his options might not be as plentiful as they might’ve been as a free agent two years ago, he could still have real options.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are in a bit of a quarterback conundrum. The team hasn’t gotten consistent play from 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett, but it’s technically too early to give up on his potential.
The team doesn’t have a long-term starter outside of Pickett on the roster, so you could see Wilson signing with Pittsburgh and giving the team a stopgap veteran starter while they continue to develop Pickett on the side.
With the Steelers, Wilson would have a very solid supporting cast and offensive line to help him guide the Pittsburgh offense. It helps that the Steelers have a playoff-ready defense, too.
Of all the teams on this list, Pittsburgh is undoubtedly the most intriguing, as Wilson would also be a solid fit in new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme.
Las Vegas Raiders
Since the Raiders don’t have a top draft pick to select a new quarterback, the team might be interested in bringing Wilson over to their side of the AFC West.
In Las Vegas, Wilson could get the chance to play with elite talents like Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs (if the latter re-signs with Vegas).
A lot is up in the air with the Raiders at the moment, but you can’t rule out the possibility of Wilson joining the team with the questions at quarterback and the team’s draft positioning where it is.
New England Patriots
If the Patriots don’t love one of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, they could hypothetically sign Wilson as a stopgap starter and return to the rookie pool for 2025.
If Wilson plays well in New England, he could give himself a solid spot to close out his career. Since the Patriots aren’t signaling anything obvious with their intent at the position, we’ll mention Wilson as a possibility.
Atlanta Falcons
Like the Raiders, the Falcons played themselves out of prime draft positioning to snag one of the 2024 NFL Draft’s top quarterback.
If the Falcons don’t feel comfortable sinking major money into Kirk Cousins or trading a draft pick to the Chicago Bears for Justin Fields, Wilson would offer a veteran fallback option who likely won’t command a major deal.
Perhaps new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson could help Wilson resurrect his career in Atlanta?
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings may well re-sign Cousins and jump out of this possibility, but Wilson could represent a fascinating fallback option for Minnesota.
The Vikings’ offense has plenty of firepower with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson and a commendable offensive line, which would take the pressure off Wilson to carry the load all by himself.
Cousins returning here would be the most ideal scenario for Minnesota, but the idea of Wilson playing for the Vikings intrigues if that reunion doesn’t come to be.
Bonus: Retirement
It’s entirely possible Wilson decides to retire after his Broncos release.
While he may not officially “retire” to keep the guaranteed money in his contract in place, he’s going to have plenty of options waiting for him after his playing days are over in media and beyond.
He’ll be 36 by next November, so don’t rule out the possibility of Wilson transitioning into the next phase of his life.
