To win in the NFL, a team needs a quarterback that’s great, not just good. When a team doesn’t have a player like that, they can panic and sign or trade for players to pry open their Super Bowl window. The Pittsburgh Steelers avoided that when they signed Russell Wilson for pennies on the dollar. However, Wilson’s previous team, the Denver Broncos, certainly did, and it did not end well. His stint in Denver led some to question his leadership and commitment to winning, a narrative that sticks today.
Some former players have even come out and stated that they believe Wilson was a key problem in Denver, particularly his last year with Sean Payton. On a recent episode of the Minus Three podcast, former Bronco and Super Bowl champion Chris Harris Jr. stated just that, along with several other comments about Wilson and what he could look like in Pittsburgh.
”I think it was a lot of plays out there that Russ missed, and Sean had some great calls,” Harris told host Dave Dameshek. “Of course Sean, he had a couple bad days. It happens as a head coach. But I think he had the right schemes, he had the right plays to be able to get these guys open and to make plays. A lot of times, Russ held the ball a lot, causing extra sacks, killing drives, kinda missing a lot of big throws. It was definitely hard on Russ, also. Let me throw this out there, too. It’s hard to play when a team is coming after you over your contract in midseason. You’re the quarterback.”
Harris is correct in saying that Wilson had more low moments than high moments in Denver, but it truly seemed like he and Payton never clicked, and that led to many of his struggles. However, this doesn’t explain why some teammates seemingly took issue with Wilson. Harris believes that was potentially a result of Wilson being handed so much by the team before he ever took a snap for them. The Broncos gave him that monster contract right after they traded for him, and as Harris says, Peyton Manning didn’t even get that type of treatment when he went to the Broncos.
The situation in Denver wasn’t good, but the blame for that falls on everyone involved, including Wilson and Payton. Harris believes Wilson will have a smoother ride in Pittsburgh.
”On the field, I think Russ did do a great job in the red zone. Everything in between the red zones, that’s where they struggled. They struggled in the midfield. I think Russ is better suited in a spread offense where he can have guys four-wide, five-wide, empty, and be able to see and be able to make his throws. I think that’s what’s gonna best suit him in the Steelers’ offense because I don’t think he really truly fit the system Sean Payton wanted to run.”
Harris played during the exact same time Wilson was at his best, and while he missed playing in the Super Bowl against Wilson due to an injury, he’s familiar with Wilson’s game. The real question will end up being how much the Steelers will use heavy wide receiver sets, especially with the team reportedly deciding to sign Scotty Miller to fill their void at receiver. The only true, known threat at receiver that the Steelers have right now is George Pickens. The rest of the receiver room consists of fast guys plagued by other issues throughout their careers.
Regardless of the system, Harris thinks 2024 is a critical season for Wilson.
”You could see this is a make-or-break year for Russell Wilson. For one, he has to keep his young, talented quarterback on the bench. And you’re coming to a new team, new offense. You wanna show that you belong to be an NFL starter. He has to win because it’s crucial for him for the rest of his career. This is a contract year for Russ. I’m pretty sure he wants some more money.”
Nothing Harris said there is wrong, and that’s good for Steelers fans. The presence of Justin Fields right behind him should push Wilson to play his absolute best, but if that isn’t enough, his career could be over if he isn’t better than he was in Denver. If all of that isn’t enough, money is usually the greatest motivator of all. If Wilson has a good enough season, there’s no question Mike Tomlin and company will want to have him back for the following year. Wilson’s career is on a downward swing at the moment, but he has all the motivation in the world to want to succeed, and if it doesn’t work out, at least the Broncos are still basically footing the bill for him to play for the Steelers.