The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering the playoffs on a four-game losing streak, and with QB Russell Wilson signing a one-year contract, his future could hang in the balance of Pittsburgh’s game against the Baltimore Ravens in the wild card round. ESPN’s Dan Graziano said: Wake up Tuesday to let the Steelers look elsewhere If Wilson struggles and the Steelers lose on Saturday.
“There’s nothing that can convince them to bring him back. He signed a one-year minimum salary contract. There have been no commitments beyond this year. And if they end up falling apart because he started playing poorly, they’re going to go look for whatever solution is out there, like Russell Wilson next year,” Graziano said. “He’s in the mix. I think he’s a guy they like, but I’m not at all sure he’ll come back, especially if they go one-and-done in the playoffs again.”
Compared to the team’s current four-game losing streak, Wilson’s play and overall offense haven’t been very good. Wilson’s tendency to hang on to the ball too long and take sacks came back and it really caused the offense to struggle. He also didn’t hit it consistently on deep balls and didn’t look to the middle of the field, causing the Steelers to miss opportunities.
It’s not all Wilson’s fault, but there’s no doubt his play has regressed over the past month. Considering how he has played, the Steelers may be less likely to re-sign him to a multi-year deal that could potentially exceed $30 million per year. Justin Fields remains an option and has proven he can lead with a 4-2 record to start the season while starting in relief of Wilson. If the Steelers move on from Wilson, QB Aaron Rodgers is expected to be available if they want to go the veteran quarterback route again, and although Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentioned Rodgers’ availability in Pittsburgh, their options will be limited.
There are a lot of variables in Saturday’s game for Wilson and the Steelers, who are hoping to avoid a fifth straight playoff appearance. The Steelers went 10-7 last season and lost in the wild-card round, flipping the quarterback space. If the same results occur this season after a late-season collapse, the same process could continue this offseason.
