Jordan Raanan of ESPN is among the numerous NFL analysts who believe veteran quarterback Russell Wilson won’t be able to resurrect his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers this fall.
“I think Russell Wilson is on the downside of his career,” Raanan said during Friday’s edition of the ESPN Radio “Unsportsmanlike” program, as shared by Joe Clark of Steelers Depot. “I think he’s barely a starting quarterback in the NFL at this point of his career. Like, when he lost his mobility, that was maybe Russell Wilson’s best attribute, and I don’t think he has it anymore.”
Before Wilson signed a team-friendly contract to join the Steelers in March, New England Patriots beat reporter Chris Mason of MassLive wrote that game film suggested that Wilson’s legs have “started to go.”
According to StatMuse, no quarterback was sacked more times than Wilson (100) across the past two NFL regular seasons. Meanwhile, the 35-year-old rushed for 618 total yards over 30 games during his two-campaign stint with the Denver Broncos.
As for Wilson’s passing stats, Pro Football Reference shows that he finished last season ranked 22nd in the NFL among qualified players with a 50.7 adjusted QBR and tied for 23rd with a 43.3% passing success rate.
Raanan noted that the Steelers can make the playoffs without stellar quarterback play as they did this past season (even though career backup Mason Rudolph played well from Week 16 through Week 18).
“…At some point, we might even see Justin Fields,” Raanan continued. “I think, at some point, you will see Justin Fields. He’s not dynamic enough anymore, Russell Wilson.”
Wilson seemingly has won over members of the Pittsburgh locker room ahead of training camp, but multiple outsiders nevertheless have said the Steelers wouldn’t have signed the one-time Super Bowl champion had they known they’d be able to acquire Fields from the Chicago Bears for a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick.
Despite such takes, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Wilson as the heavy favorite at -750 betting odds to start over Fields (+450) for the Week 1 game at the Atlanta Falcons as of Friday afternoon.
It remains to be seen if Fields can do anything through August to take the starting job away from Wilson.
