NFL Rumors: Russell Wilson Given Permission to Meet with Teams in FA by Broncos

The Denver Broncos have reportedly given quarterback Russell Wilson permission to meet with other teams ahead of his impending release.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wilson will be able to visit interested teams immediately, giving him a leg up on other free-agent quarterbacks. The Broncos plan to release Wilson at the start of the 2024 league year on Wednesday, taking on an $85 million dead-cap hit in the process.

The dead-cap hit is by far the largest in NFL history, more than doubling the $40.5 million number the Atlanta Falcons paid for trading Matt Ryan in 2022.

Denver will pay Wilson $39 million in guaranteed salary on top of navigating the cap difficulties. Because of offset language in his contract, Wilson could sign with a team for a veteran's minimum salary in 2024 and put the Broncos on the hook for nearly that entire amount.

Once Wilson picks his team, it would not be a surprise if the two sides negotiated a deal that kept his salary artificially low for 2024 while providing a guaranteed salary in 2025 that could be restructured into a roster bonus. Wilson signing a one-year deal for the minimum without any guarantees beyond next season would be a surprise.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders stand out as solid potential fits, and the Minnesota Vikings or Atlanta Falcons could get in the mix if they lose out on Kirk Cousins. The Vikings and Falcons have increasingly been pegged as Cousins' two top options when he hits the open market.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Wilson wants to land with a team that has a "history of winning," which may give the Steelers an edge. Pittsburgh has never finished with a losing record during Mike Tomlin's 17-year run as head coach. However, Tomlin is facing increasing pressure to make a deep playoff run as the Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2016.

Adding Wilson and sending Kenny Pickett to the bench could make some sense.