Russell Wilson remains a free agent, but the former Super Bowl champion quarterback could find a home in the coming days. Once considered to be an elite passer and one of the most valuable players in all of football, the 10-time Pro Bowler has not fared well in the 2020s. After a quiet end to his Seattle tenure, Wilson joined the Broncos for two ill-fated seasons before failing to establish himself on prove-it deals with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, respectively. He began 2025 as New York’s starting quarterback but only lasted three games under center, completing 69 of his 119 attempts for 831 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
To say that Russell Wilson is not the player he once was is an understatement, but he can still be a valuable veteran backup for the right organization. The biggest reason for Wilson’s availability was likely Aaron Rodgers, as nobody knew if the four-time Super Bowl champion would retire, re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, or sign with a different organization. However, the veteran quarterback market should start moving now that Rodgers is back in the Steel City, and Bleacher Report‘s Zach Bachar believes three teams could be interested in Wilson.
3 Teams Linked to Russell Wilson After Aaron Rodgers Signing
According to Bachar, the New York Jets, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots could use a veteran quarterback and could turn to Russell Wilson. Of these three teams, the New York Jets are far and away the most likely fit. After one unsuccessful season with the New York Jets, Aaron Glenn’s squad traded Justin Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs and decided to move forward with old friend Geno Smith.
Smith has a very wide range of outcomes, as the quarterback looked like the real deal during his time in Seattle. However, he had a disastrous season with the Las Vegas Raiders, failing to make the most of a bad environment and leading the team to the first-overall pick. Smith isn’t the type of quarterback who can carry a flawed roster, but you can win with him. However, Aaron Glenn might not survive another double-digit-loss campaign, so having a proven backup like Russell Wilson would be good insurance if Smith continues to play like his Raiders self. The only other quarterback of note on the roster is Clemson rookie Cade Klubnik, and he probably will need time to develop if he’s ever going to last in the NFL.
The Other Teams
Could the Denver Broncos use a backup quarterback? Absolutely. Franchise quarterback Bo Nix is returning from a postseason ankle injury and, while he should be back on the field for Week 1, might not look like his old self. Chances are, the Broncos will try and take it easy with his rehab. Longtime journeyman Jarrett Stidham started in his absence during the AFC Championship Game, and his performance left a lot to be desired. Russell Wilson would probably be an upgrade, but the history here is probably too much to overcome. Denver and Wilson didn’t part on the best of terms, so if they’re looking for a veteran quarterback, they’ll probably go after someone like Jimmy Garoppolo.
The New England Patriots, meanwhile, have one of the game’s best young quarterbacks in Drake Maye. Behind him, however, is former New York Giants passer Tommy DeVito. While DeVito isn’t anything to write home about, New England seems content to keep him as Maye’s primary backup. After all, if they wanted a veteran like Russell Wilson, they probably wouldn’t have released Josh Dobbs earlier in the offseason.
Main Photo: Kevin R. Wexler – Imagn Images
