Laughably high contract projection should leave Steelers ‘out’ on Russell Wilson

The Steelers can’t even think about signing Russell Wilson at this price.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are focused on the ‘here and now’. This historic franchise is on an embarrassing playoff drought and is looking to avoid its eighth straight season without a single win in the postseason.

The Steelers secured a spot in the postseason back in Week 15, despite coming off a dismal loss to the Eagles. Nothing is more important right now than keeping their eyes on the prize and competing for a Super Bowl. However, major questions loom as we approach the 2025 offseason and start thinking about the future of the team.

None of these questions looms larger or more significant than Pittsburgh’s plans at the quarterback position. Russell Wilson took over at quarterback after Justin Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 record. Head coach Mike Tomlin made the switch and never looked back.

Wilson exceeded most expectations, and despite his late-season struggles, many NFL analysts and members of Steelers media expect Wilson to be the quarterback in 2025 and possibly beyond.

But this is shaping up to be a questionable decision.

Spotrac.com recently updated its player market values for projected free agents in 2025. These projections are based on recent players in similar situations and the contracts they received on new deals. Spotrac projects Wilson will rake in a two-year contract worth over $80.5 million with an average annual salary of $40.3 million per season.

Steelers can’t even consider signing Russell Wilson at this price

This is an egregious number considering the struggles we’ve seen from Wilson. It’s one thing to have a 36-year-old quarterback playing on a veteran minimum salary; it’s another thing entirely to play an average quarterback over $40 million per season in his old age.

There are several reasons this would be a bad decision. For starters, we need to look no further than the history of signing quarterbacks in their late 30s. The Falcons handed a 35-year-old Kirk Cousins a a four-year, $180 million contract ($45 million per season) during the 2024 offseason only to bench him before he could make it through the first year of his deal.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers—who was one of the best quarterbacks of the past decade—looked completely washed up for the Jets during the 2024 season and deserved to be benched. Wilson will turn 37 years old next November, and the Steelers will be paying him based on past production, not for what they are getting from him in his old age.

Interestingly, Spotrac projects Sam Darnold to make $35.4 million annually on his next contract. Darnold is just 27 years old (roughly a decade younger than Wilson) and has yet to hit his NFL prime. If the cost is at all comparable, it would make much more sense to go with the younger player who is coming off a phenomenal season.

Wilson’s performance is only going to continue to deteriorate in his old age. If Wilson wasn’t good enough to get the job done while playing on a veteran contract at age 36, what makes anyone believe he will be good enough at age 37 when he’s taking up significantly more salary cap space and when T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward will be a year older.

The Pittsburgh Steelers want to capitalize on what’s left of a waning Super Bowl window, but bringing back a pricey, underwhelming option like Russell Wilson for 2025 and beyond is the wrong move.