Ex-NFL QB believes teams offering “embarrassing amount of money” has delayed Russell Wilson’s free agency decision

There may be one particular reason why a 2024 Pro Bowl quarterback is still on the market right now: money. NFL insider and former quarterback Chase Daniel said on Friday's edition of The Facility that former Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson might want more money than teams are willing to pay him.

"I think that Russell probably wants more than what teams are willing to pay, and what teams are willing to pay Russ probably is an embarrassing amount of money," Daniel said. (0:25)

Last season, Wilson signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, leading them to the playoffs.

Daniel thinks Wilson's reluctance to sign a new contract may come down to a pride thing.

"I do think there are offers out there that have maybe not publicly been heard because maybe the amount is too low, and I don’t think Russ wants to accept those because I don’t think he wants the embarrassment of it," Daniel added (0:45)

Wilson has been selected to the Pro Bowl 10 times in his NFL career, including last season. Before coming to the Steelers, he played for two seasons with the Denver Broncos after signing a five-year $245 million contract with them in September 2022.

According to Daniel, some teams might wonder if Wilson can improve them that much.

“Maybe Russ doesn’t elevate a team as much as he has in the past, and you look at the teams that need quarterbacks out there; they desperately need quarterbacks to elevate their teams,” Daniel said. (1:18)

In 2024, the Steelers were 10-7, the same record they had in 2023. Wilson went 4-11 in his first season with the Denver Broncos in 2022 and 7-8 the following season.

Russell Wilson's landing spots

Sports Illustrated has three ideal fits for Wilson in 2025. One would be for him to return to the Steelers, who are still searching for a quarterback. The other two options are the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.

The Giants are desperate for a quarterback after offloading Daniel Jones in 2024, and they may also be in the market for Aaron Rodgers.

The Vikings may be the best option if Wilson wants a chance to win. They won 14 games last season and made the playoffs but let Sam Darnold leave to join the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason.

During Wilson's time in Seattle, he led the league in touchdown passes in 2017 (34) and had the highest passer rating in the NFL in 2015 (110.1).