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When the news broke that the Denver Broncos were acquiring Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a multitude of picks and players, the league was shell-shocked. But […]
When the news broke that the Denver Broncos were acquiring Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a multitude of picks and players, the league was shell-shocked. But after two seasons of up-and-down play, winning streaks and losing streaks, narrow losses, and an ultimate benching with a playoff spot still mathematically on the line, the writing is pretty much on the wall: Russell Wilson’s tenure with the Denver Broncos seems to be coming to an end.
Ever since Sean Payton arrived as the Broncos new head coach in 2023, something felt off about the marriage between Wilson and the Broncos. Denver got out to a putrid 1-5 start last season, before miraculously ripping off a five-game win streak that included victories over the Buffalo Bills and eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
But after dropping a virtual must-win on Christmas Eve to the New England Patriots 26-23, the Broncos benched Wilson in favor of Jarrett Stidham (again, with the playoffs still technically on the line heading in to Stidham’s Week 17 start.) It was clear as day that Wilson was no longer the Broncos’ guy.
To sum up the situation from my own perspective, with as much respect to Wilson and the Broncos as possible: Denver thought they were trading for a Top 5-to-Top 10 quarterback, but instead got a Top 15-range quarterback. Despite the amount of flak Wilson received during his Broncos tenure, he wasn’t bad at any point. But the former Seahawks quarterback was expected to get Denver over the hump, and with Broncos achieving 5-12 and 8-9 records over the last two seasons, it’s fair to say Wilson failed to meet those expectations.
Whether it’s through trade or release, Wilson is likely to find a new team in 2024, as a player that still has plenty left in the tank and an above-average talent at the position despite his recent regression in play. So where should Wilson take his services in 2024? Will Wilson get a chance to try and push another team over the hump, or did he squander that opportunity? Which near playoff-teams could use Wilson in a game manager role to supplement their otherwise strong rosters?
For a few ideas (as well as non-ideas) for where I think Wilson should play next season, read on for my Top Landing Spots for Russell Wilson in 2024-25. And if you’d like to debate or discuss any selections, or want to follow for more NFL content including Picks and Power Rankings, be sure to connect with Sak Sports Blog on Twitter or on Facebook!
While Desmond Ridder (benched in the final three games of 2023-24), entering his 3rd NFL season out of Cincinnati, and Taylor Heincke have showed flashes during their respective NFL careers, neither quarterback appears to be the long-term answer at the position. Quarterback play was not a strong suit for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023-24, and yet the team still finished at a semi-respectable 7-10, just two games out of first place in the NFC South. With a veteran signal-caller like Russell Wilson to command the Falcons potentially dynamic offense, Atlanta easily could have flipped two games in to wins last season.
Giving Wilson weapons like running back Bijan Robinson, wide receivers Drake London and Van Jefferson, as well as tight end Kyle Pitts could be a sight to see. I don’t think Wilson would make the Falcons a Super Bowl contender, but Atlanta could easily compete in a relatively weak NFC South with the former Seahawks and Broncos quarterback at the helm.
The New England Patriots, from a football standpoint, could be a natural landing spot for Russell Wilson’s services in 2024-25. Short-term, it probably doesn’t make the most sense, with the Patriots tying for the second-worst record in the NFL last season. A rebuild is likely necessary in New England, but in today’s NFL, that doesn’t take all that long. If 35-year old Russell Wilson is willing to stick it out for a couple of seasons, the Patriots could build a dangerous team: especially with over $100M in cap space this offseason.
From a football standpoint, as mentioned, it just makes sense for New England to at least do their due diligence because they hold one of the weakest quarterback rooms in the entire NFL. It’s a quarterback-driven league, and Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones are never going to push the needle in a positive direction for the Patriots.
Wilson would easily step in as the best quarterback to start for New England since Tom Brady. With Bill Belichick out and Jerod Mayo in as head coach for the Patriots, anything is possible: even a two-to-four scheme centered around an aging Wilson, a scheme that could potentially yield great results if the Patriots use their advantageous draft and free agency positions wisely.
The counter-argument, of course, is that the Patriots need a long-term fix at the position. With a high draft pick, the Patriots could do just that, but as the Zach Wilson, Sam Darnold, Trey Lance, and Josh Rosen’s of the world go to show, picking a quarterback in the Top 10 is still anything but a sure thing.
Imagine the Patriots acquiring Wilson, and then using their third overall pick on wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., or trading back for a slew of picks? With potentially two quarterbacks off the board by the time New England picks, there could be no “surefire prospects” left at the position.
The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback situation has absolutely blown up, with Jimmy Garoppolo suspended for the first two games of next season and quite honestly, may not be on the Raiders roster at all in 2024-25. Aidan O’Connell is a stopgap at best, leaving Las Vegas as one of the most quarterback-needy teams in the entire league. Without a Top 10 draft pick to spend on a top prospect at the position, it’s likely the Raiders wait until Day 2 or 3 of the draft to add a rookie signal-caller.
With a hit-or-miss prospect in tow, Russell Wilson could hold down the fort for a roster that was surprisingly competitive at times en route to their 8-9 finish last season. A steady Wilson at the helm likely could have made last year’s Raiders squad a playoff team, and Las Vegas wants to stay aggressive to establish a credible reputation in their new home.
Wilson might not lead the Raiders to a Lombardi Trophy, but he could keep Las Vegas above .500 and potentially in the playoffs for a season or two before the Raiders address the position long-term.
The Washington Commanders are in an interesting spot, with some solid pieces on the roster but still more than a hop and a skip away from playoff contention.
This franchise also hasn’t had the most luck at the quarterback position, with veteran Carson Wentz being one of the most recent failures for Washington.
The jury is still out on University of North Carolina product Sam Howell, who has had some up-and-down games as well as injuries over his first two NFL seasons. As a secondary quarterback option, Wilson would be a monumental upgrade over Jacoby Brissett. And if the Commanders wanted to make Wilson their starter, spurning Howell, I doubt many NFL pundits would even bat an eye, as it would be another obvious upgrade.
To compete in the NFC East, the Commanders need above average quarterback play. And despite complaints about his play, Wilson has been above average, at least, over his last two seasons with the Broncos.
Like the Commanders, the Pittsburgh Steelers would face a burning question here: stick it out and see if Kenny Pickett improves in Year 3, or add veteran Russell Wilson to the mix. Like with Washington’s situation, the Steelers wouldn’t have to make Wilson the Day 1 starter: Wilson could start second on the depth chart, ahead of Mason Rudolph but behind Kenny Pickett, and compete for the starting gig in training camp. It would be a step backwards for the perennial Pro Bowler, having to earn the starting job, but I think he’d win the battle with ease.
On the field, Wilson wouldn’t be asked to do anything too flashy from the quarterback position: something a step or two above a game manager perhaps, but Wilson wouldn’t need to produce Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen-level play for the Steelers to be successful. A solid defense and running game, coupled with some timely and accurate throws from Wilson, could easily make the Steelers a 10-to-11 win, playoff-caliber team in 2024-25.
Header Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
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