Former Broncos QB Russell Wilson is projected to get an eye-popping contract

The Pittsburgh Steelers are winning games with Russell Wilson, but they could be in line to give the former Broncos QB a horrifically disastrous contract. In six games started this year, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 5-1 with Russell Wilson under center. He's thrown for 10 touchdowns against three interceptions.

He's also completed 65.8% of his passes for 1,626 yards. Wilson has taken 18 sacks and has earned a 104.3 passer rating this year. Many of us have been shocked that the former Broncos QB has produced like this for the Steelers. While he put up decent numbers for the Broncos in 2023, it's clear that much of it ended up being empty calories.

And the Broncos decision to cut Wilson forced them to take on an NFL-record $85 million in dead cap, which will be done and over with after 2025. Well, with how well Wilson has played, the Steelers may have no choice but to extend him. I mean, would they really let him leave in free agency if he keeps this up? That isn't likely. Jack Markowski of Pittsburgh Steelers on SI projected Wilson's future contract extension with the Steelers:

"With that in mind, Wilson figures to land a three- or four-year contract that holds an average annual value of around $35-$40 million barring any unforeseen circumstances for either him or the Steelers."

- Jack Markowski

Please, Steelers, please make this move to extend Russell Wilson! Pittsburgh has turned into Denver in some ways, as they are still without a long-term answer at QB and have tried the veteran re-tread route. They may be getting duped by Russell Wilson into thinking he could be their answer, but we saw the Broncos fall for that.

Denver's decision to cut Russell Wilson and ride with Bo Nix has already paid off, as not only is Denver 8-5 and in a playoff spot, but they are much more likely to sustain long-term success than the Pittsburgh Steelers are at this point. The Seattle Seahawks even were able to see that the end was near for Wilson, as they clearly had no issues trading him to the Denver Broncos back in 2022.

We are now a few years removed from that, and Wilson isn't going to get better as he gets older. Not only is he not really using his legs all that much to make plays, but his processing speed has never been that great and is only going to get weaker and slower as he ages. He'll be playing in his age-37 in 2025, which is a dangerously high age for someone who has never been a pocket passer.

The Pittsburgh Steelers signing Russell Wilson to a contract extension approaching $40 million per year would be a disaster and would set the Steelers back for years to come. The Broncos saw the mistake they made with Wilson and cut ties before it was too late.