Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios for Steelers in 2024

There’s no doubt about it, this is a crucial season for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson. After a horrific two-year tenure with the Denver Broncos, his legacy is very much on the line.

Gilbert Manzano of Sports Illustrated thinks Wilson reviving his career with the Steelers in 2024 is the best-case scenario for the Black and Gold. If Wilson looks anything like he did during his prime in Seattle, the Steelers might make some noise in the playoffs.

“Wilson took the bulk of the blame, perhaps unfairly, for the disastrous two-year stint with the Broncos. But he did improve his play last season, guiding the Broncos on a five-game winning streak before Sean Payton pulled the plug on the QB experience. Perhaps the Steelers build off that and allow Wilson to do more to potentially have him play as well as he did with the Seattle Seahawks,” Manzano wrote.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields at OTAs on June 4, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

On the flip side, the worst-case scenario for the Steelers would be if Wilson and Justin Fields both fall flat on their faces. It would be back to square one for the Steelers at the quarterback position.

“Perhaps Payton and the Broncos were right to release Wilson and eat the dead money from his hefty contract extension because his best days are behind him. If that’s the case, the Steelers do have Fields to replace Wilson, but he also arrives in Pittsburgh with uncertainties. Fields’s accuracy issues and lack of consistency as a passer led the Bears to trade him to make room for Caleb Williams. It could be a long season for the Steelers if both quarterbacks struggle and fail to improve on their weaknesses,” Manzano wrote.

Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report expressed similar sentiments. He thinks the Wilson-Fields experiment will dictate the success of the Steelers’ 2024 season. He sees it as a boom or bust scenario.

Gagnon believes Wilson is up for the task.