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Mike Tannenbaum: Steelers should bring Russell Wilson back in 2025 'at the right price'

Stephen Samraby:Steve Samra12/27/24

SamraSource

Russell Wilson
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum believes the marriage between the Pittsburgh Steelers and veteran quarterback Russell Wilson shouldn’t be one that ends after the 2024 campaign.

Over the past couple of seasons, Wilson has gone from cooking to cooked to rejuvenated. While he might not be the long-term quarterback for the franchise, Tannenbaum believes it would be a mistake for the Steelers to move on from Wilson when the final whistle blows on their season, even if they’re in a bit of a skid at the moment.

“At the right price,” Tannenbaum said, regarding whether the Steelers should bring Wilson back in 2025, via Get Up on ESPN. “You want to win for today, and develop for tomorrow. Maybe you don’t get that first round quarterback, as Adam [Schefter] alluded to, but maybe you get one in the second or third round. So, Mike Tomlin’s done a great job of managing the situation for a long time. Post-Ben Roethlisberger, I think they’re still looking But they can win and look. I think Russell is an ‘At-The-Right-Price Guy,’ and then keep looking.”

Wilson has bounced back in a big way from his time with the Denver Broncos since joining Mike Tomlin’s Steelers. All told, the veteran quarterback has amassed 2,334 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions since taking the starting gig over from Justin Fields.

Unfortunately, the Steelers are in a bit of a rut at the moment. They’ve lost their last three games, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. In the process, they’ve gone from potential Super Bowl contender to afterthought ahead of the playoffs.

At 36-years-old, the future is murky for Wilson, but quarterback play as a whole has been down throughout the NFL. He’ll likely find another starting job, whether in Pittsburgh or not, but the Steelers certainly seem like the best match for Wilson at the moment.

If it’s not Wilson, it’ll likely be a different veteran, bridge quarterback at the forefront of Pittsburgh’s offense in 2025. It’s not like Wilson is going to command a massive deal, and we’ve seen him work well with Tomlin and the Steelers’ coaching staff. The easiest thing is certainly bringing him back into the fold.

Time will tell what they decide to do, but it’s evident there’s a massive decision for the Steelers to make regarding Russell Wilson ahead of the 2025 season. Perhaps he’ll be able to call Pittsburgh home once again, even if it’s only for one more go-round.