NFL

Why Russell Wilson could be perfect fit for Steelers, plus free agency matchmaker for every AFC team

by
SaC Bot
March 8, 2024

Welcome to the Friday edition of the Pick Six newsletter!

This is it. This is the calm before the storm, so please enjoy it.

Starting next week, NFL free agency will be kicking off, and things will likely get wild. Although free agency doesn’t technically start until Wednesday (March 13), the legal tampering period starts on Monday (March 11) at noon ET and that’s when the nonstop news will likely start.

We’ll be going all-in on free agency today with landing spots for several stars, and we’ll also be taking a look at why Pittsburgh would actually be a good landing spot for Russell Wilson.

As always, here’s your daily reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the newsletter. Actually, you don’t even have to tell all of your friends; just tell two of your friends and I’ll be happy. To get them signed up, all you have to do is click here. Let’s get to the rundown.

1. Today’s show: Best landing spots for the top free agents

This was our final show before the unofficial start of free agency on Monday, so Will Brinson and I decided to get a little crazy by coming up with the best landing spots for TWENTY-FIVE different free agents.

Here are a few of the players we mentioned:

Ryan Tannehill: Vikings. Everyone has been focusing on Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson, so we thought we’d break down a possible landing spot for Tannehill. If Cousins ends up leaving Minnesota, Tannehill would be the perfect veteran to take his place. Brinson and I also mentioned the Steelers as a possible landing spot, just because Tannehill has a history with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith (Smith was the OC in Tennessee for two seasons with Tannehill).
Saquon Barkley: Texans or Chargers. With Jim Harbaugh now running the show in Los Angeles, Brinson thinks he might make a splash in free agency by signing Barkley. New Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman has already said that the team is going to run the ball more, and adding Barkley would make that a lot easier to pull off. I like the idea of the Chargers, but I had Barkley going to Houston where he could potentially put up some huge numbers in a suddenly high-powered Texans offense.
Calvin Ridley: Panthers. With Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman and Mike Evans no longer available, Ridley is arguably the top receiver on the market this year. The Panthers will be looking to add a serious weapon for Bryce Young, and they’ll likely be willing to break the bank to do it.

If you want to hear our 22 other landing spots, then be sure to click here so you can listen to today’s episode. You can also watch today’s show on YouTube by clicking here.

2. AFC matchmaker: One free agent that makes sense for each AFC team

After playing matchmaker in the NFC yesterday, we’re moving on to the AFC today.

Jared Dubin went through every team in the AFC and came up with one free agent who they should sign, so let’s take a look at a few of the names on his list.

Ravens: RB Josh Jacobs. “To be honest, it’s hard to see the Ravens actually doing this. But wouldn’t it be really cool? Imagine Jacobs as the power back complement to Justice Hill and (when he returns from injury) Keaton Mitchell, working alongside Lamar Jackson. That’d be awful fun.”
Bengals: TE Noah Fant. “After taking a shot on Irv Smith last year but seeing it not work out, the Bengals might feel a bit burned; but that shouldn’t stop them from taking a dice-roll on another player like that. … Cincinnati does not have a single tight end under contract at the moment.”
Bills: WR Darnell Mooney. “It sure looks like Gabe Davis is headed elsewhere. The Bills need a No. 2 wideout next to Stefon Diggs … and Mooney’s speed could help open things up for Diggs, Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid, and we know Josh Allen can find him deep down the field.”

Dubin made one free agent suggestion for all 16 AFC teams, and if you want to see his full list, all you have to do is click here.

3. Why Russell Wilson is a perfect fit for the Steelers

Although Russell Wilson won’t be officially released until next week (March 13), the Broncos have given him permission to meet with other teams, and it looks like he’s going to meet with the Steelers, CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirms.

The idea of Wilson signing with the Steelers might seem like an odd idea on the surface, but our resident Steelers expert, Bryan DeArdo, actually LOVES the idea of Wilson signing in Pittsburgh. Here are a few reasons why he would be a fan of the move:

1. It’s what both sides need. “Wilson needs to be pushed, and the Steelers need a legitimate position battle to determine their next starting quarterback. Of course, this will have an impact on Kenny Pickett. Will Pickett rise to the challenge, or will be succumb to it? This will be one of the NFL’s most competitive quarterback battles since Steve Young challenged Joe Montana for his job 36 years ago.”

2. Wilson seems hungry. “Yes, I watched Wilson in Denver. I saw the missed reads and poor decisions. But I also saw a quarterback who rebounded after what was a truly dreadful 2022 season. I saw someone who worked to rebuild his status as a quality quarterback capable of winning games for his team. I saw someone who is driven to prove his doubters wrong, who is still hungry to do more in this game despite the amount of money in his bank account.”

3. Wilson would come insanely cheap for a starting-caliber QB. “The fact that the Steelers could likely sign Wilson to a veteran’s minimum salary (because the Broncos are paying him $39 million) to walk away is icing on the cake. In fact, it would be foolish not to sign Wilson if he is willing to come to Pittsburgh at a veterans minimum salary to compete with Pickett for the starting job.”

If you need more convincing, feel free to read DeArdo’s full piece here.

Of course, even if the Steelers want Wilson, it looks like they’re going to have some competition for his services. Wilson was flying to Pittsburgh on Friday, but before he got on his flight, he held an exploratory meeting with the Giants. You can read more about that here.

4. Landing spots for the top cap casualties

The week before free agency is almost always a brutal one in the NFL as teams work to get under the salary cap before the start of free agency. We’ve seen several cap casualties this week, so we decided to try and figure out where those cap casualties might land next after being released.

Jordan Dajani went through and ranked the top-10 cap casualties and then he came up with several landing spots for each guy. We’re going to check out the top-three names on his list:

1. CB Xavien Howard (Cut by Dolphins). “Cornerback is a premier position in today’s NFL, and Howard has been one of the best for years now. He turns 31 in July, but is a four-time Pro Bowler and led the league in interceptions twice — including a 10-interception campaign in 2020.” Landing spots that make sense: Texans, Lions Commanders

2. S Justin Simmons (Cut by Broncos). “There are plenty of star safeties looking for new deals this offseason, but Simmons is one of the best. The four-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler was released by Denver this week after eight incredible seasons as a Bronco. At 30 years old, Simmons again was named a Second Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2023 after recording 70 combined tackles, one sack, eight passes defensed and three interceptions.” Landing spots that make sense: Panthers, Packers, Eagles

3. CB Tre’Davious White (Cut by Bills). “White has been a star cornerback for several years now, but he suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and a torn Achilles that ended his 2023 campaign. Those injuries are likely a reason why White is now searching for a new team for the first time in his career.” Landing spots that make sense: Lions, Jaguars, Colts

Jordan ranked the top-10 cap casualties, and if you want to see his full list, be sure to head here.

5. NFL fans facing possible amputations after attending Dolphins-Chiefs playoff game

It’s been almost two months since the Chiefs beat the Dolphins in one of the coldest games in NFL history, and a harsh reality is starting to set in for some of the fans who attended the game.

Here are the details:

Some fans facing amputation. From our story, “Dr. Megan L. Garcia, a general surgeon at Kansas City’s Grossman Burn Center, told Fox 4 this week that 70% of the medical center’s patients referred for frostbite injuries suffered at the January wild-card game are ‘being advised to schedule amputations.'”
How fast frostbite can hit. Some fans likely weren’t aware of how fast they could be hit by frostbite. One fan was dealing with a dire situation even though he only took his gloves off for five minutes to put up a tent outside the stadium for his tailgate before the game.
It was one of the coldest games in NFL history. The kickoff temperature was -4 degrees with a wind chill of -27, which made it the fourth-coldest game in NFL history.

6. Extra points: Aaron Rodgers has a new retirement timeline

It’s been a busy 24 hours in the NFL, and since it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything that happened, I went ahead and put together a roundup for you.

Aaron Rodgers hoping to play four more years. It seems that Aaron Rodgers isn’t planning on retiring any time soon. During a recent interview, the Jets quarterback said he hopes to play three or four more years, and if that happens, that means he’ll be in the NFL through the 2027 season, which is something that Jets would almost surely love. You can read his full comments here.
Steelers release Patrick Peterson. After just one season, the Steelers have decided to move on from Peterson, according to ESPN.com. The eight-time Pro Bowler is now going to hit free agency next week after being released.
Hunter Henry returning to New England. The Patriots tight end has already been in New England for three years and it looks like he’ll be sticking around for a while longer. CBS Sports HQ senior NFL insider Josina Anderson has reported that Henry has agreed to a new three-year deal with the Patriots, which will prevent him from hitting free agency.
Jaylon Johnson gets huge four-year deal from Bears. Less than 48 hours after getting hit with the franchise tag, Johnson already has a long-term deal in place. The Bears corner is signing a four-year, $76 million deal that includes $54 million in guaranteed money. You can see the full details here.
Rams offensive lineman lands $48 million extension. Kevin Dotson just finished his first season with the Rams and the team liked him so much that they handed him a three-year extension worth up to $48 million. The offensive guard was a solid run-blocker and played a big part in the team’s resurgent rushing attack.
Dolphins signing Jonnu Smith. For the fourth time in five years, Jonnu Smith has a new team. The tight end is headed to Miami after agreeing to a two-year, $10 million deal with the Dolphins. Since the start of the 2020 season, Smith has played for the Titans, Patriots, Falcons and now the Dolphins.
Tyrann Mathieu signing new two-year deal. The Honey Badger will not be leaving New Orleans. The former All-Pro safety is signing a two-year, $13 million deal that will keep him with the Saints through the 2025 season.
Michael Thomas goes off on Twitter. The Saints receiver ripped an NFL columnist for reporting that Thomas would soon be released by the Saints. It was a bizarre reaction from a player who is almost certainly going to be released soon. You can read the full details of the story here.
Former Raiders offensive coordinator get jobs with 49ers. After two seasons as the Raiders offensive coordinator, Mick Lombardi won’t be returning to Las Vegas in 2024, but he has already has a new job lined up. According to NBC Sports Bay Area, Lombardi has been hired by the 49ers, but he doesn’t have an official title yet.