Raiders HC Pete Carroll was asked if QB Russell Wilson joining the team could be in the works and said that it’s likely too soon.
“It’s so early, and we’re just in the midst of trying to find the puzzle pieces. We’re not even putting them together yet, so I can’t even say,” Carroll said. “Free agency hasn’t come yet. That’s the first competitive opportunity that will occur. Then, the draft is coming. We’ll have that opportunity. I can’t tell you right now. I could guess, but it would just be a guess.”
“I promise you, if you’re a real competitor, you’re not letting options get away from you,” Carroll added. “So we’re going to consider every option as a possibility, and we’ll go after it very aggressively, with intent, and hopefully with a sense and a feeling that people want to be part of this thing.”
Ian Rapoport reported that Wilson could be an option as the Raiders starting quarterback in 2025.
Wilson would reunite with Carroll with whom he has a close relationship and Rapoport adds that he wanted to play for the Raiders last season before winding up in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have said they would like to have Wilson back and the veteran has said he would like to return, yet this isn’t the first report surrounding a potential reunion between Wilson and Carroll.
According to Jeff Howe, Wilson and Carroll have “mended fences” following their fallout in Seattle, and Wilson could be a “stopgap” option while the Raiders find its long-term answer.
Wilson signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh last offseason and is set to be a free agent. Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, Wilson revealed that he has begun contract negotiations with the Steelers.
“We have been starting to talk a little bit,” Wilson said, via Joe Rutter of Trib Live. “We had meetings and everything else, and (we’re) getting into it. It’s an exciting time.”
At the time, Wilson expressed his eagerness to remain with Pittsburgh for the rest of his career.
“It was tough at the end. I’ve got so much more in me. I’m excited. My goal is to be with the Pittsburgh Steelers for a long time and, hopefully, finish my career there.”
Wilson, 36, is a former third-round pick of the Seahawks back in 2012. He was entering the final year of his five-year, $89.142 million contract when the Seahawks signed him to a four-year, $140 million extension that included a $65 million signing bonus.
The Seahawks traded him to the Broncos in 2022 in a blockbuster deal. Wilson stood to make base salaries of $19 million and $22 million over the final two years of his deal when he agreed to a new five-year, $245 million extension that included $165 million in guaranteed money.
However, Wilson didn’t even reach the new portion of his deal before being released by the Broncos, who absorbed a record $85 million dead cap hit. The Steelers later signed him to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum.
In 2024, Wilson appeared in 11 games for the Steelers and completed 63.7 percent of his pass attempts for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He added 43 carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
We will have more on Wilson and the Raiders as it becomes available.
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on X.com and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
