The Denver Broncos will be in the market for a new quarterback, soon enough.
At this point, it's a matter of "when" and not "if" the team moves on from Russell Wilson.
The real question is, where does Wilson end up? There are some potentially-good spots for him, but also a couple of teams that might not work out so well. First, let's look at three possible landing spots, followed by a couple of disasters waiting to happen.
1. Las Vegas Raiders
Now that the Raiders have their head coaching decision made, they can shift their focus to other offseason priorities. One of those is at quarterback. The team could cut ties with Jimmy Garoppolo and, actually, save some money if they traded him before June 1. If they waited until after June 1, then releasing him would be the best bet in terms of savings.
Aidan O'Connell probably isn't the long-term answer at quarterback, either, and the Raiders might wind up looking at either a top rookie in this draft, or yet another veteran like Wilson.
We know that Davante Adams wants to win, and with the All Pro wide receiver under contract in Las Vegas still, that's a team that had better get their no. 1 wide receiver a legitimate quarterback. Since the Raiders treated Adams' friend and former quarterback Derek Carr with such disrespect, it seems like they've had a hard time finding an answer.
Wilson would at least be a plug-and-play type of quarterback for the Raiders and he'd not only have Adams, but Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer to work with right off the bat.
2. Minnesota Vikings
Next up, the Minnesota Vikings seem like a logical landing spot for Wilson. This is a team that's been quarterbacked by Kirk Cousins for a few years now, and within a system led by Kevin O'Connell, Cousins has had some great seasons. Even before O'Connell took over, Cousins still had some good years in Minnesota.
With a recent report stating that Cousins will not return to the Vikings on a one-year deal, that leads me to believe Minnesota could be looking at other options, and in a serious manner. One option, of course, is Wilson. Now, if they don't want Cousins on a multi-year deal, why would they want Wilson? That's the question needing to be answered, here.
If Wilson were to come to Minnesota, though, he could be a good fit. Minnesota would certainly let Wilson throw the football. They would let him "cook," as the people say. And, Wilson would have no shortage of weapons with the Vikings. Justin Jefferson is as good as it gets. Jordan Addison is a bright, emerging receiver. And then there's T.J. Hockenson, one of the best tight ends in the game today.
If Wilson wants to go somewhere and win, Minnesota could be a logical destination. The Vikings would just need to shore up some spots on defense, and this could be an NFC contender.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Speaking of NFC contender, the Atlanta Falcons are in need of a quarterback and, if they were to get a good one, they could be an NFC contender. Don't forget, this Falcons defense started the 2023 season as a top-10 unit for the first couple of months. Now, they get Raheem Morris as their new head coach. You better believe Morris is going to have that defense in tip-top shape.
Offensively, the Falcons have an embarrassment of riches. Bijan Robinson is already viewed as one of the best running backs in the league, today. Drake London is a young, rising wide receiver with a ton of potential, still, to be even better. And of course, there's Kyle Pitts, the tight end who has not been used correctly, at all, over the first few years of his career.
The Falcons are also rumored as a destination for a guy like Justin Fields, if they don't land one of the top quarterbacks in this draft class. Atlanta is going to make a move at quarterback, whether it's Wilson, Fields or another guy. That position is at the forefront of their offseason priorities.
Potential Disaster: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have a quarterback problem. They don't seem completely confident in Kenny Pickett to be their guy going forward. Mason Rudolph also isn't a long-term answer. So, the quarterback room could see some changes. Would they entertain the possibility of going after Wilson?
From what we know about Russ, he has been unwilling to adapt to what coaches have wanted from him at times. If you think Wilson refusing to alter his contract for Sean Payton and company was bad, imagine what kind of troubles he could walk into with Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh.
Tomlin is known to be a no-nonsense type of guy, and I could definitely see he and Wilson clashing if this marriage were to happen.
Wilson wants to come across as the nice guy, but something tells me behind the scenes that isn't always quite the case. This could be speculation, because I do not know him personally. But, if you were to tell me that Wilson and Tomlin could co-exist, I wouldn't believe you. Tomlin's coaching style, and his willingness to make a change, specifically at quarterback, may not bode well for Wilson in Pittsburgh.
Potential Disaster: Washington Commanders
We still don't know what is going to happen with current Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. He has interviewed for several head coaching vacancies over the years, and has yet to get one.
If he ends up sticking around Washington as the offensive coordinator, though, I could see it ending poorly should the Commanders go after Wilson this offseason.
Bieniemy has been said to be a "tough, hard-nosed" coach. In fact, those words were said by Bieniemy himself last year:
"Eric Bieniemy is who he is. Eric Bieniemy knows how to adapt and adjust. Eric Bieniemy is a tough, hard-nosed coach, but also understand I'm going to be the biggest and harshest critic, but also their No. 1 fan because I've got their back."
From what we know about Wilson's experience with coaches attempting to put him in his place, that doesn't end well.
Of course, Washington could end up drafting a quarterback at no. 2 overall and all of this becomes a moot point. But, if the Commanders were to even entertain bringing in Wilson, it could spell trouble for the veteran if he's unwilling to adapt to Bieniemy.