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NFL rumors: Steelers' meeting with Russell Wilson went well

Russell Wilson turned prophecy into reality on Friday, meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers about their QB job opening that may or may not actually be open. The meeting went well, per CBS Sports' Josina Anderson. Maybe a little too well, depending on your feelings about 2024 Russell Wilson.

"Heard Russell Wilson had a great meeting in Pittsburgh so far. I was told he sat with OC Arthur Smith ‘for hours’ and that ‘he looked happy.’ I was also told Wilson ‘did his homework’ reaching out to some players in advance, per source."

Wilson attracts a lot of noise, but he's a smart guy. Of course he's going to interview well. He's also a nine-time Pro Bowl QB and a one-time Super Bowl champ, so some of the more disrespectful criticism lands poorly. He was far removed from his prime with the Denver Broncos, but last season did not feature some abominable performance from the 35-year-old. He completed 66.4 percent of his passes, totaling 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions in 15 starts. Those are objectively good numbers.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, suffered through the crippling mediocrity of Kenny Pickett. Wilson is... much better, no? While he's probably not the dream option for Pittsburgh fans, he would offer far more stability for a season or two while the Steelers rewrite their long-term plans. Worst case scenario, Pickett retakes the QB1 role if Wilson bombs.

This has long been the obvious landing spot for Wilson. It's not written in stone yet — a few more teams figure to take interest in the champ — but he is almost certainly, or at least very much probably going to land with the Steelers. Given how high Pittsburgh's floor is under Mike Tomlin, and how much higher that floor rises with Wilson compared to Pickett, it's hard to truly get up in arms about the partnership. Wilson can probably teach Pickett a lot, too.