As Russell Wilson figures out his next NFL stop, the 36-year-old may have priced himself out of at least one fit on a team that is reportedly interested in his services. Wilson's move to the Cleveland Browns has been rumored for weeks now, and seems on the verge of being consummate. But as in most cases, money is holding up the process.
Russell Wilson is reportedly asking for $20-30M per year, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/IeGtDnqSjY
— BrownsNation.com (@BrownsNationcom) March 22, 2025
Wilson wants $20-30 million per year at this stage of his career, which seems optimistic, to put it mildly. His best years are clearly in the rearview now as it’s time to accept what the veteran is: an average starter, at best, who can get you some wins on a well-built team but needs a lot of help if any team signing him hopes to be a true contender.
Browns shouldn't be willing to meet Russell Wilson's asking price
It’s clear that Cleveland is looking to get away from the bad taste of Deshaun Watson for many reasons. That was a disastrous deal all the way around and the Browns are more likely to be cautious this time. Wilson doesn’t bring any of the baggage Watson did with him from Houston, but surely, they realize Wilson is no longer the quarterback he once was. That became painfully obvious toward the end of last season in Pittsburgh.
The Browns are viewed by many as the favorite to land Wilson, but the tea, barely has $20 million in cap space. It sounds like both sides will need to get creative if they are going to make this happen. Wilson also visited with the New York Giants recently and they have even less cap space at around $17 million available.
So, Wilson and his camp will either need to adjust his price tag or they’ll likely be waiting until after the NFL Draft and closer to the start of training camp to sign a new deal. The demand for Wilson’s services is nowhere near as high as his reported contract demands, which means it’s time for DangeRuss to take a long look in the mirror.