NFL Rumors: Russell Wilson favorites emerge, Jim Harbaugh contract snag, Belichick latest
- Who are the favorites to sign Russell Wilson this offseason?
- Jim Harbaugh may hit a contract snag at Michigan.
- All the latest on Bill Belichick and the Atlanta Falcons
The Divisional Round of the playoffs is set to begin this weekend but 24 other NFL teams are sitting at home getting ready for next season. There are plenty of discussions being had around the league about what it will take for those teams to get deep into January next season, and a lot of those conversations involve coaches and quarterbacks.
There are several big names available on those fronts, with Russell Wilson presumably being one of the top quarterbacks set to become available this winter. Read on for where Wilson could end up, along with the latest on Jim Harbaugh and Bill Belichick, in the latest round of NFL rumors.
Where will Russell Wilson wind up next season?
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler did a deep dive into how the Broncos and Wilson reached the point of a seemingly inevitable divorce. The disconnect between Wilson and Denver head coach Sean Payton appears to be the driving factor in the team's plans to move on, along with trying to avoid having $37 million of 2025 salary become guaranteed on March 17.
There is a chance Denver could try and trade Wilson to soften their dead cap hit but with teams aware of their desire to move on there is little leverage to be had in talks. The most likely result is an outright release of Wilson, placing him alongside Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield as the top free agent quarterbacks on the market.
Fowler notes that Minnesota and Tampa Bay could be interested in signing Wilson if their current starters depart in free agency. Atlanta, which is also seemingly a quarterback away from being a threat to win their division, could factor into the equation as well if they opt not to pursue a young passer in the NFL Draft.