Russell Wilson’s signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers might turn out to be the best deal of the offseason, even if he has to fight for the starting quarterback position.
Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Steelers, stated that Justin Fields will have every chance to replace Wilson as the starting quarterback. But, there are plenty of reasons to support Pittsburgh taking a chance on Wilson, even if Fields leads the Steelers’ offence onto the field in Week 1.
According to CBS Sports, Wilson’s signing by the Steelers is the best deal made in free agency thus far.
Jared Dubin of CBS Sports says, “Even in the seemingly unlikely event that Russell Wilson is beaten out for the starting gig by Justin Fields.” “I think this is the best off-season deal available. Consider the rates that backup quarterbacks are commanding on the free market; Wilson only paid $1.2 million to sign. Naturally, Russ is not the same player he once was, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still be valuable at this price and beyond.
What is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ cap space?
With Fields entering the last year of his rookie contract and Wilson playing for the league minimum, the Pittsburgh Steelers have built one of the more reasonably priced quarterback rooms in the game, which puts them in a strong position against the cap.
There is still a good deal of spending freedom available to general manager Omar Khan of the Steelers in 2024, even if they choose to exercise Fields’ fifth-year option.
Due to Wilson and Fields being in the latter seasons of their current contracts, Pittsburgh now has upwards of $15.2 million in cap room for the 2024 season. As a result, they should have $81.4 million in cap space in 2025.
Despite Fields’ impending option decision on May 2, Khan and the Steelers have provided plenty of flexibility at quarterback.
