There has not been a dull moment in the ongoing saga between quarterback Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos.
Diana Russini of The Athletic reported on December 27 that Wilson expects to be cut in March. The star is expected to have several viable suitors across the NFL whenever he hits free agency.
NFL insider Jeremy Fowler named the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots as teams that could pursue Wilson in the 2024 offseason.
“Should have a market,” Fowler said during his December 30 appearance on SportsCenter. “Tons of teams believed like Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New England. A lot of teams could use a good veteran who is still playing relatively well this year.”
Fowler mentioned how backup Jarrett Stidham is on a “reasonable” contract ahead of next year. Stidham is likely auditioning for a chance at the starting role in 2024, depending on how his final two starts against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders play out.
Based on the bungled Wilson contract situation, the insider anticipates a costly fallout for Denver.
“I’ve talked to several agents around the league who believe Denver — because of how they’ve handled this Russell Wilson situation, threatening to bench him midseason because of the money and the contract that they already did — that there could be some fallout. They might have to overpay for free agents because of the Sean Payton factor,” Fowler said.
Falcons Named Most Logical Landing Spot for Russell Wilson
The Broncos have more questions than answers at the quarterback position following the failed Wilson trade. While Denver remains in quarterback purgatory, the star quarterback could become a solution for another team.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports echoed Fowler’s sentiment that the Falcons will be in the quarterback market this offseason. Atlanta took the top spot in Benjamin’s December 29 article on seven logical landing spots for Wilson.
“Again, [Wilson’s] done some of his best work when captaining a run-first attack, and that’s exactly what Smith has been trying to cook up for the Falcons. From Wilson’s perspective, Atlanta also plays in perhaps the most winnable division in the NFL,” Benjamin wrote.
-Russell Wilson fallout
–#Bears QB conundrum
-Antonio Pierce’s chances with #Raiders
-Jim Harbaugh NFL buzzLots to get to on @sportscenter with @crisalexespn pic.twitter.com/pn0UOnbESa
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 30, 2023
Despite being one game out of the NFC South at 7-8, the Falcons have been hindered by inconsistent play under center in 2023.
Second-year passer Desmond Ridder has shown he is not the answer in Atlanta. Ridder has thrown 10 interceptions while losing six fumbles in 13 appearances this season.
Atlanta Would Be a Highly Attractive Option for Russell Wilson Next Season
The Falcons are the most attractive of the three options Fowler outlined for Wilson. Atlanta has young talent on offense, begging for a quality quarterback to unlock its full potential.
The first round of the last three drafts has seen the Falcons drafting dynamic offensive skill players.
In the 2021 NFL Draft, Atlanta spent the fourth overall pick on Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. Then, in 2022, former USC wide receiver Drake London was taken with the eighth selection. Finally, the Falcons drafted do-it-all running back Bijan Robinson at eighth overall in April 2023.
Despite all the investments on that side of the ball, Atlanta averages only 19.1 points per game, ranking 24th in the NFL. The Falcons are also middle of the pack at 16th in total offense, averaging 332.5 yards per game.
Adding Wilson into the lineup would finally provide the Falcons with much-needed stability that could ignite a postseason run.
