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    Steelers QB can be traded

    Bronwen Cerys Posted on

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    The Pittsburgh Steelers made a change at quarterback during the 2024 NFL offseason. Kenny Pickett retired just two years after the team selected him in the first round. The duo Russell Wilson and Justin Fields arrived, each wanting to prove themselves after a change of scenery.

    It was originally assumed that Wilson would be Pittsburgh’s starter. He signed with the Steelers before Mike Tomlin’s roster traded for Fields, and Tomlin made it clear throughout the offseason that Wilson was the team’s best quarterback.

    However, a calf injury on the eve of the season put a stop to those plans. Wilson was out in Week 1 and Fields got the start. He has led the Steelers to a 3-1 record in their first four games, and it appears the team will continue to trust the 2021 first-round pick as long as they keep winning.

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    That puts the 35-year-old Wilson in a difficult position. He came to Pittsburgh hoping to restore his image after two disastrous seasons with the Denver Broncos. That chance may never come if Fields continues to play well and keeps the Steelers in the playoff hunt.

    The good news for Wilson? It won’t be difficult for him to bring about another change of scenery if he and the Steelers deem it necessary. The veteran starter is playing on an extremely affordable contract that could make him an interesting trade option for quarterback-needy teams.

    Here’s what you should know about Wilson’s contract and where he fits into the larger NFL landscape.

    Russell Wilson contract details

    Wilson signed a one-year contract with the Steelers during the 2024 NFL offseason worth $1.21 million. That represented the lowest possible salary Wilson could receive, as $1.21 million is the veteran minimum for the 2024 NFL season.

    Wilson’s deal with the Steelers was viewed as a bargain for good reason. This made him one of the NFL’s lowest-paid quarterbacks and one of the lowest-paid projected starters.

    Although Wilson’s contract looked small at first glance, he deserves a lot more than it appears. That’s thanks to his five-year contract extension with the Broncos ahead of the 2022 NFL season.

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    How much does Russell Wilson make in 2024?

    Wilson will earn $39 million for the 2024 NFL season. The Broncos will cover most of that amount due to the $242.5 million contract they signed with him in 2022.

    Wilson’s contract contained $124 million in guarantees. Denver had already paid $85 million of that before the 2024 NFL season, but still had to pay the 35-year-old the rest of the guarantees as part of his release.

    However, the contract between Denver and Wilson contained uncompromising wording. That meant that if he signed a contract with another team, his 2024 salary would be deducted from the amount Denver owed him.

    This was an incentive for Wilson to take the cheapest offer, as it gave his new club the flexibility to improve the rest of his roster while also bringing the experienced quarterback on board. Therefore, he accepted the Steelers’ offer of $1.21 million, leaving the Broncos to foot the remaining $37.79 million on the bill.

    Wilson’s decision introduced another interesting wrinkle. His contract is also very easy to trade and can easily be picked up by almost any NFL team.

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    If Wilson is traded, any NFL team that acquires him will owe him a prorated portion of his $1.21 million salary for 2024. This amount easily fits into the available salary cap of almost every NFL team.

    According to OverTheCap.com, the Carolina Panthers are the only NFL team that does not currently have the necessary salary cap space to trade for Wilson.

    That doesn’t necessarily mean teams will line up to sign Wilson if the Steelers make him available. However, as NFL fans saw at the 2023 NFL trade deadline when the Minnesota Vikings traded Joshua Dobbs, NFL teams are willing to pounce on veteran quarterbacks, especially when their starters are injured.

    If another starting quarterback gets injured or a team decides it needs a veteran capable of being a solid backup starter, acquiring Wilson would be a cost-effective option, not only from a draft capital standpoint, but also from a financial standpoint .

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    Cheapest NFL QB Contracts

    Wilson’s contract is cheap, but other quarterbacks on NFL rosters make less than him.

    According to OverTheCap.com, Sam Hartman is the lowest-paid NFL quarterback on a team’s 53-man roster. The Washington Commanders’ rookie quarterback will make just $795,000 in 2024 after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2024.

    Below is a look at the 10 lowest-paid quarterbacks currently on active rosters based on the average annual value (AAV) of their contracts:

    1. Sam Hartman, Washington Commanders: $795,000
    2. Tommy DeVito, New York Giants: $832,500
    3. Sam Ehlinger, Indianapolis Colts: $902,676
    4. Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears: $906,667
    5. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers: $934,253
    6. Skylar Thompson, Miami Dolphins: $935,552
    7. Sam Howell, Seattle Seahawks: $1,005,400
    8. Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles: $1,006,630
    9. Shane Buechele, Buffalo Bills: $1,025,000
    10. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cleveland Browns: $1,045,567
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    Bronwen Cerys
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