The Russell Wilson experiment in Denver is over. What began with dreams of Super Bowl glory returning to the Mile High City quickly turned to abject failure, as Wilson and the Broncos never really gelled — limping to a 11-19 record with Russ as a starter.
On Monday the team announced they were officially releasing Wilson, with the release to come after March 13, to spread his monumental cap hit out over two years. While Russ was awful in 2022, he bounced back in a big way in 2023 — showing he still has the chops to be a top-flight quarterback in the right situation, even at 35-years-old.
Wilson will immediately become one of the most coveted quarterbacks in free agency. His production is one thing, but perhaps more importantly the offset language in his massive Broncos extension, which will essentially allow a team to sign Wilson for the NFL veteran minimum, meaning he will barely effect their cap space. Here are the teams who should definitely be interested on March 13 when Russ is a free agent.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are a good team locked in a brutal division, and they’re in dire need of some pop at the quarterback position. The 2023 signing of Jimmy Garoppolo ended up being horrific for Las Vegas, as Jimmy G struggled even before his season-ending injury — thanks largely due to Josh McDaniels’ horrific coaching.
Still, there’s a decided need for the Raiders to form a new identity. Russ is a short-term solution to Vegas’ biggest problem, and all the pieces are there to make this work. Add in the extra rub of Russ getting the opportunity to stick it to the Broncos twice per year and it makes this a really compelling package.
If you’re looking for a favorite to sign Wilson, this is it.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Nobody really knows what the Steelers are doing at quarterback, outside of “something new.” It’s become apparent that the selection of Kenny Pickett in 2022 was a massive whiff, as he’s struggled to have any kind of impact in Pittsburgh over the last two years.
The Steelers feel like a team looking for a long-term option at the position, and ultimately feel like they would rather trade for someone like Justin Fields than sign Russell Wilson — but Russ is a solid backup plan for a playoff team who just need a more reliable player under center to lift their chances.
If the motivation for Wilson is to win, then Pittsburgh offers one of the best situations where he can do it. This team is ready to make a serious playoff push, despite being in the AFC North.
Atlanta Falcons
This is where we hit the part of the list that requires some caveats. There are some huge late rumors that the Falcons are making a push to sign Kirk Cousins, desperately wanting to compete right now with a proven veteran quarterback, over trading for Justin Fields or drafting a signal caller.
Cousins remains QB1 in free agency, but if that falls though the table is set for Russ to Atlanta potential to heat up. The appeal here is clear: The NFC South remains a rebuilding dumpster fire. It takes very little to win this division, and if you look at how talented the Falcons are from top-to-bottom, outside of their QB — then this could be a curious match.
If the Falcons whiff on signing Cousins then Russ to Atlanta feels like a very real possibility.
Minnesota Vikings
This is an extension of the Atlanta situation. If the Falcons manage to convince Cousins to join them, then the Vikings are in a seriously bad QB position.
There’s a very real chance Minnesota addresses their long-term need at the position in the draft, but selecting at No. 11 means either trading up, or taking a player who needs a little work. To this end Wilson could be a great bridge quarterback to get them over the hump.
In addition, there’s a scenario here where the Vikings would be better for winding up with Russ. The nature of his offset language means he would be a minimum signing, and that drastically alters Minnesota’s cap situation. Signing Russ for the minimum and letting Kirk walk would give them the money to re-sign Danielle Hunter, and have money left over to work on the looming Justin Jefferson extension.
It’s an intriguing situation for sure.
New England Patriots
All signs are pointing to the Pats taking a quarterback with the No. 3 pick — but what if they don’t? This team could do a whole lot worse than signing Wilson and selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. to be the phenom wide receiver the team has been missing … forever.
While this feels like the most outside chance of the available teams, there’s still a chance New England could go in this direction, evaluate the roster for a season under Jerod Mayo, and then look to find their long-term signal caller in 2025. There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to New England’s plans right now, and that’s why they make the list.
