Where will Russell Wilson land next? A look at which NFL teams could be interested (2024)

For two impressive drives, Russell Wilson was sprinkling some of the magic that made him a nine-time Pro Bowler, a quarterback who seemingly always had a trick up his sleeve.

The Broncos trailed the New England Patriots at home by 16 points on Christmas Eve, their playoff hopes on life support, when Wilson engineered two 75-plus-yard marches that ended with touchdown throws and successful two-point passes to tie the game. During that stretch, Wilson twirled out of the pocket to avoid pressure, connected on a deep pass, threaded the ball into tight windows and picked up first downs with his legs. It was a period of improv, and Wilson found a way to hit the right notes.

But Wilson, who was told by the Broncos on Monday that he’ll be released at the start of the new league year on March 13, will be looking for a job as he heads into his 13th NFL season because of all that came before that last dance in Denver. On the first possession of that same game, the Broncos were gifted a first-and-goal at the 6-yard line following a Patriots turnover. Wilson nearly threw an interception in the end zone on third down and the Broncos ultimately got no points out of the drive, a lowlight during a season of inefficiency in the red zone. A few days later, after the comeback against the Patriots fell short and Denver’s playoff hopes wilted, Wilson was benched by head coach Sean Payton, setting the stage for his high-profile release.

We’ve notified QB Russell Wilson that he will be released after the league year begins March 13.

A statement from GM George Paton and HC Sean Payton: pic.twitter.com/EJO5mNMjew

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) March 4, 2024

One day before benching Wilson, Payton pushed back on the notion that the way the veteran quarterback had brought the Broncos back to tie the game was a sustainable way of life in today’s NFL.

“It’s hard to say you’re going to make a living that way as your base offense,” Payton said.

The question now is what comes next for Wilson and what kind of quarterback will he be for his next team. Is he closer to the magician who nearly marched the Broncos all the way back against the Patriots? Or the one who routinely struggled when asked to paint inside the lines?

The answer probably lies somewhere in the gray area in between. Wilson’s raw numbers in 2023 were solid. His 26 touchdown passes ranked ninth in the NFL and his 98.0 passer rating was eighth. He still made jaw-dropping plays, like a double-spin escape from the pocket during a Monday night win in Buffalo that ended with Wilson threading a touchdown pass to a toe-tapping Courtland Sutton at the edge of the end zone. There was the deep touchdown pass to Sutton a few weeks later in which Wilson threw a moonball so perfect it looked as though it had been guided by GPS. Those two areas of his game remain unique.

COURTLAND SUTTON TOE DRAG TOUCHDOWN.

📺: #DENvsBUF on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/J3bHxYOoK2 pic.twitter.com/92QDtbHv70

— NFL (@NFL) November 14, 2023

But dig deeper into the numbers and you’ll find a quarterback who struggled within the framework of a game. Wilson averaged only 5.72 net yards per attempt, according to Pro Football Reference, the lowest mark of his career and an indication of how much his production is torpedoed by the frequent sacks he takes. Wilson was sacked a career-high 55 times during his 15 starts in 2022 and was dropped 45 times in the same number of games in 2023. That’s 100 sacks in the past two years for a quarterback who will turn 36 next season. Wilson, by virtue of his play-extending style, has always been a quarterback prone to big sack totals, but as his mobility has declined, the rate is climbing. The Broncos failed to build a consistently strong running game around him the past two seasons, exacerbating the flaw.

Wilson remains a tireless worker who says he is as committed as ever to winning. He is not the obvious franchise answer the Broncos believed he was only two years ago, but the bottom line is he would still represent an upgrade for some teams around the league at quarterback over what they had in 2023. Some of those teams, of course, will have other options, including in the draft. Others may seek a higher-upside target in free agency or on the trade market. But Wilson could be an option for a handful of others, in large part because the cost will be very manageable for his next team. Wilson will make $39 million guaranteed from the Broncos in 2024. With Denver paying for next season’s work, the cost for a team that signs him in free agency next season would be minimal, making Wilson a cheaper option than even less talented players at the position in free agency. Given how Wilson’s tenure unfolded in Denver, it’s unclear what exactly the market will be for the 35-year-old quarterback. He remains a viable NFL starter with a winning past, but he has clear flaws around which his new offensive staff will have to work.

So what teams could make sense for Wilson? Here is an examination of several options:

New England Patriots

The Patriots don’t seem like a team that’s going to be in the running for Wilson, but they don’t have their quarterback situation solidified. Until they do, they’ll be at least mentioned in every conversation about an available starter. The most likely outcome is that the Patriots sign a low-level veteran in free agency, then draft a quarterback — likely Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye — with the No. 3 pick. That’s in part because their roster has enough holes that it’s not worth spending money on Wilson, who turns 36 next season. They need someone who can jump-start a rebuild and someone they can build around for several years — and that’s not Wilson. — Chad Graff

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons and Wilson aren’t a natural fit. The quarterback fairly famously doesn’t have a lot of desire for throwing to the middle of the field, and the offense Atlanta is expected to run under Sean McVay disciple Zac Robinson often requires just that.

Still, the notion can’t be completely dismissed. The Falcons don’t have a clear path to a quarterback. If they can’t lure Kirk Cousins out of Minnesota and can’t trade up high enough to get a rookie quarterback they believe in, they will be shopping in the second-hand bin, so to speak. That group could include Wilson.

If Wilson ends up in Atlanta, the Falcons could talk themselves into it working. His play improved from 2022 to 2023, and he would provide a floor of quarterback play they haven’t had in the last two seasons.

And, as mentioned, he would come very cheap because the Broncos would be paying most of his salary. That would be a boon to a team that has already said it will be very aggressive in free agency. — Josh Kendall

Minnesota Vikings

This is a major long shot. First, the Vikings would have to fail to come to terms with free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins. Then, they would have to deem Wilson a better option than another QB on the market who might fit better in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system. O’Connell wants his offense to live in a structured and timing-based passing game. Wilson, meanwhile, fits best these days in a freewheeling, play-extending operation. Wilson does make sense in that he’s experienced and he has won, and the Vikings will value those two characteristics. His price tag also gives this a chance — albeit a minimal one. — Alec Lewis

Pittsburgh Steelers

Kenny Pickett’s underwhelming second season has fueled speculation that the Steelers could be interested in a veteran upgrade. At one point a few weeks back, they were the betting favorite to land Wilson or Justin Fields.

However, a league source familiar with the Steelers coaching staff’s thoughts told The Athletic that Pittsburgh is not planning to sign Wilson. While general manager Omar Khan is doing due diligence on other options, the feeling is the Steelers want to see how Pickett looks with first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith before punting on the 2022 first-round pick. Khan also said publicly the Steelers would like to bring back free-agent Mason Rudolph to provide competition. Pickett and Rudolph are most likely to sit atop the depth chart when training camp opens. — Mike DeFabo

Las Vegas Raiders

Head coach Antonio Pierce said at the combine last week that the Raiders don’t want any more “Band-Aids” at quarterback. But what if the Raiders can’t trade up in the draft and get a desired quarterback? And Cousins goes back to the Vikings? Then maybe Wilson at a discount is not the worst thing. What a spirited battle at training camp it would be between Wilson and second-year QB Aidan O’Connell. — Vic Tafur

Tennessee Titans

The Titans want to upgrade from Malik Willis at backup quarterback and get a veteran who can win football games in a pinch, but that doesn’t sound like something that would interest Wilson. At least not yet. This is a new coaching staff, but it’s the same front office that moved up to the top of the second round to select Will Levis last season, and he showed enough as a rookie surrounded by subpar offensive pieces to convince this organization to enter full Levis discovery mode. By all accounts, first-year coach Brian Callahan has been impressed with Levis — both in terms of dissecting his film and starting to learn his personality. There’s time to figure things out as GM Ran Carthon continues rebuilding the roster, while Wilson seems more like a gamble for a team with stronger personnel and nothing going at QB. — Joe Rexrode

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Plan A for the reigning NFC South champions appears straightforward. The Buccaneers have signaled they want to get an extension done with Baker Mayfield, the soon-to-be free agent who shined last season while playing in Tampa on a modest, one-year contract. To replace offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who was hired as the Panthers’ head coach in January, the Buccaneers hired Liam Coen, who worked with Mayfield when the quarterback played for the Rams in 2022. Still, other teams could be in the mix with Mayfield, and with the 20th pick, Tampa may not be within range of its preferred quarterback options in the draft. If the Bucs are unable to come to terms on a long-term deal with Mayfield, Wilson could make sense as a bridge option. — Kosmider

(Top photo: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

Nick Kosmider is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Denver Broncos. He previously covered the Denver Nuggets for The Athletic after spending five years at the Denver Post, where he covered the city’s professional sports scene. His other stops include The Arizona Republic and MLB.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickKosmider