Highlights
- Pittsburgh offers Wilson upgraded offensive weapons, including a better O-line than Denver.
- Consistent coaching staff in Pittsburgh, with Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith, provides support for Wilson.
- Staying with the Steelers can help Wilson revive his career after a downward spiral in Denver.
After two down seasons with the Denver Broncos, the team elected to move on from Russell Wilson just two years into a five-year, $242 million deal. Denver missed the playoffs in both seasons and contractual disputes led the team to release Wilson ahead of the 2024 offseason.
Entering Week 9 of last season, the Broncos were fresh off of an upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs, putting Denver back in the playoff picture, when the front office gave Wilson an ultimatum to either alter his contract or be benched for the remainder of the season.
Wilson’s two seasons in Denver tainted his great legacy, leading to his release by the front office.
Not long after the start of free agency, Wilson accepted a $1.2 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2024 season. Here’s why the quarterback will revive his career in Pittsburgh after a poor run with the Broncos.
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Wilson Has Upgraded Weapons in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh’s improved offensive situation from Denver will help Wilson find success.
© Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Going to Pittsburgh, Wilson will play in an upgraded offense across all positions. Wilson will play behind a much better offensive line situation than he saw in Denver, allowing him to remain upright. With the Broncos, Wilson has been the most sacked quarterback in the NFL since 2022 (100 times), something that’s sure to improve in Pittsburgh.
In the backfield, Wilson will be joined by Pro Bowl back Najee Harris, and 2023 breakout back Jaylen Warren. Harris is the only back in the NFL with 1,000 yards in each of the last three seasons and Warren displayed the ability to give high production with low volume in Pittsburgh’s backfield last season.
|
Najee Harris Career Stats (2021-2023) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Games |
Carries |
Rushing Yards |
Yards/Carry |
TD |
|
2021 |
17 |
307 |
1,200 |
3.9 |
7 |
|
2022 |
17 |
272 |
1,034 |
3.8 |
7 |
|
2023 |
17 |
255 |
1,035 |
4.1 |
8 |
Split out wide, Pittsburgh has a solid group of impressive young receivers, including George Pickens, Pat Friermuth and Roman Wilson.
Pickens is fresh off his first 1,000-yard season in 2023 and is set to be the team’s WR1 in 2024.
Friermuth is a top-10 tight end in the AFC and was an honorable mention on ESPN’s top-10 tight ends list voted on by NFL executives, scouts and coaches.
First year receiver Wilson will offer a versatile threat in the slot with the potential to finish the season as Pittsburgh’s second option in the receiver room.
The Steelers’ Improved Coaching Staff
Pittsburgh’s consistency in the coaching staff will help Wilson gain familiarity.
In Denver, Wilson’s biggest problem was his own head coach. Wilson was never Sean Payton’s “guy” with the Broncos, as Wilson’s style of play collided with Payton’s offensive philosophy. Payton went as far as making the decision to bench Wilson for Denver’s final two games of last season.
Wilson also played through the 2022 season with Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired after 15 games of his first season as Denver’s head coach.
With the Steelers, Wilson will see consistency in his coaching staff for the first time since his days in Seattle.
Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith will offer their support to Wilson, instead of publicly breaking him down on the sideline, as Peyton did last season. In fact, Tomlin has reinforced his belief in Wilson as Pittsburgh’s starter, despite the team trading for Justin Fields after signing Wilson.
We’ve been very transparent about the pecking order, at least to start. I just think that provides clarity for all parties involved. Russell is a veteran, man. He’s got a proven process of readiness. He’s been in this league a long time. He’s capable of rallying troops, receivers, tight ends, running backs, et cetera. He’s just got a lot of experience in terms of what it takes to be the guy over the course of a 12-month calendar and I just think that that’s something that a younger guy like Justin could learn from.
Tomlin is one of the most respected coaches in the NFL, and is known for his motivational skills. Wilson will have a fire lit under him to re-emerge, however from an Xs and Os standpoint, he’s also found a terrific fit.
Arthur Smith Will Build a System Around Wilson’s Strengths
Smith managed to revitalize Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee
Arthur Smith has seen success as an offensive coordinator, helping Ryan Tannehill to the two best seasons of his career in 2019 and 2020. Tennessee was a top-10 scoring offense in 2019 and top-five offense in 2020 with Smith at the helm.
|
Ryan Tannehill’s Stats Under Arthur Smith |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Year |
Games Started |
Record |
Completion % |
Passing Yards |
TD-INT Ratio |
|
2019 |
12 |
7-3 |
70.3 |
2,742 |
22-6 |
|
2020 |
16 |
11-5 |
65.5 |
3,819 |
33-7 |
While Smith didn’t quite pan out with the Atlanta Falcons as their head coach, getting fired after three straight losing seasons, he gets to return to his strengths in Pittsburgh. Smith has expressed his excitement in building a system for Wilson and Fields.
They’re really good play extenders, certainly they can change the launch points, which gives you an advantage, they’re not sitting there as a statue in the pocket. They bring a professionalism and a work ethic…they’re bringing guys along, and that’s exciting as well.
According to NFL Insider Ben Allbright, it’s very likely that Wilson would’ve gone to Atlanta, had Smith stayed on as head coach. In fact, Allbright went as far as to say “I guarantee that would’ve happened,” on the Fantasy Football Metrics Podcast.
Allbright, who’s stationed in Denver, says conversations started about Wilson’s next stop when he was first benched.
There was some back-channeling going on with Arthur Smith, who was then with the Falcons. That would kind of, sort of, be how that shook out. Russ and his team wanted Arthur Smith as their guy.
Now, Wilson has his guy and at 35 years old, it’s time to deliver.
The stability offered in Pittsburgh doesn’t end with the coaching staff, though.
The overall stability of the Steelers franchise will do wonders for Wilson this season. With Wilson looking to flip the narrative and Pittsburgh eyeing a deep playoff run in 2024, the two sides could be a perfect match and the reason Wilson revives his career.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.
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