Free agent quarterback Russell Wilson remains in contract discussions with the Steelers according to a report on Wednesday.
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan indicated on Tuesday that solidifying the quarterback position before preseason is their priority. On Wednesday, it was reported that the Steelers are still in discussions with Russell Wilson’s representatives on a possible contract.
This comes even though, as 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi reports, sources indicate Wilson is currently commanding a higher annual salary than Justin Fields. While Khan indicated all options are open until someone is under contract, this report may suggest there is a preference–but Pittsburgh is staying flexible.
If the Steelers were all in on Wilson, these contract negotiations could reasonably be wrapped up by now. However, multiple reports have bounced around that the organization is split on retaining Fields, Wilson, or even simply starting over.
Wilson joined the Steelers last offseason after being released by the Denver Broncos. After suffering a calf injury that forced him to miss the first six weeks of the season, he stepped in the rest of the way.
While he helped lead the Steelers to a 10-3 start, his play digressed along with the rest of the team as the Steelers went on a five-game collapse to finish the season. Despite this, he did have the best performance by a Steelers starting quarterback since 2022–throwing for 16 touchdowns and 225 yards per game–though that bar is very low.
The new league year begins in two weeks which will bring in a flurry of free agent signings across the league. The Steelers, ideally, will want to have their quarterback position secured before then. Not only will this play a factor in the free agents they bring in but may also avoid a bidding war on either of their quarterbacks.
