The Denver Broncos announced their plans this week to release veteran quarterback Russell Wilson with an effective date after the start of the new league year. Still, the team gave Wilson permission to meet with teams and engage in contract negotiations this week.
Wilson's availability is expected to undermine the Chicago Bears ability to trade Justin Fields.
With the Broncos being on the hook for a record amount of dead-cap money, any team signing Wilson would be able to do for the league minimum salary. That could be the reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers have emerged as a potential favorite to sign Wilson.
Steelers are interested in signing Russell Wilson and are tentatively planning to meet with the former Broncos QB before start of free agency, per sources. Wilson has interest in joining Steelers. Story in PG forthcoming.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) March 7, 2024
Wilson signing with the Steelers would eliminate one of the heavily rumored teams believed to be interested in trading for Fields. As the Bears look to trade Fields before the start of the new league year next week, the Steelers along with the Atlanta Falcons were believed to be at the top of the list in terms of potential suitors.
For the Falcons, the team is planning to make Kirk Cousins a priority. Reporting this week has suggested that Cousins may be eyeing a move to Atlanta but it's been speculated that this could be the latest negotiating tactic in his efforts to get a new deal with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Chicago Bears are faced with a dwindling list of suitors for Justin Fields.
It's looking more and more likely that Fields will indeed be on the Bears' roster by the time that the new league year officially starts next Wednesday. The Bears may need the dust to settle on the first wave of quarterback signings before a team pivots toward Fields as a potential answer to their quarterback need.
It also needs to be stated that the Bears' inability to trade Fields likely would not preclude the team from selecting Caleb Williams with the first overall selection. If the team has identified Williams as the answer at the quarterback position moving forward, the lack of interest across the NFL in Fields as a starting quarterback is not going to shift their plans.