Report: Steelers Intend To Sign Russell Wilson To Extension After Season

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that while Russell Wilson is currently on a one-year contract, both he and the Steelers intend to work on a longer deal after the 2024 season is up. 

The Broncos are footing the bill for most of Wilson’s 2024 season, which leaves the Steelers on the hook for just the league minimum. 

It makes sense that both sides would at least wait until after the season is out to discuss an extension, given that he’s joining a new team that has a new offense being installed. 

The Steelers have agreed to a trade for QB Justin Fields, but reports have said that he is expected to backup Wilson this season and there are draft pick incentives tied to Fields’ playing time, so there’s not a lot of incentive to play him unless Wilson struggles or gets hurt. 

Wilson, 35, 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. 

In 2023, Wilson appeared in 15 games for the Broncos and completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions to go along with 341 yards rushing and three touchdowns.