The 2020s have not been kind to one-time Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson, as the former third-round pick has played like a below-average quarterback since leaving the Seattle Seahawks. After bouncing around with the Broncos, Steelers, and Giants, Wilson will likely join his fourth team in as many seasons in the coming months.
While nobody will make him their unquestioned starter, he’ll be one of the league’s better backups and an adequate bridge option if something happens to his team’s starting quarterback. With this in mind, Bleacher Report‘s Krisopher Knox believes Russell Wilson could land with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Wilson is unlikely to find a true starting opportunity this offseason, but he could make sense as a bridge option for the Kansas City Chiefs,” Knox writes. “Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL and neither Gardner Minshew nor Chris Oladokun is under contract for 2026.”
Chiefs Projected to Sign Russell Wilson In 2026
Normally, potential backup quarterback signings aren’t exciting enough to generate articles months ahead of the start of free agency. However, this is an interesting case, as Kansas City desperately needs to add someone to its quarterback room.
Patrick Mahomes is an elite quarterback when healthy, but the two-time NFL MVP may not be healthy for the start of the 2026 season. The three-time Super Bowl champion tore his ACL late in 2025 and nobody knows if he’ll be ready for the start of the upcoming campaign. While he hopes to be on the field, Kansas City must have a Plan B for if he’s not ready.
Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew did not look good while filling in for Mahomes, and it didn’t take long for him to suffer a season-ending injury of his own. Seeing as he’s a free agent, there’s a decent chance he doesn’t return in 2026. Chris Oladokun, meanwhile, is a practice-squad-caliber passer who shouldn’t be anywhere near the Week 1 starting roster.
Russell Wilson may not be anything close to the player he used to be, but he’s better than either of the other options. Of course, there are other free agents available that could prove to be better than Wilson at this stage in their respective careers.
Other Options
The two best quarterbacks on the free agent market are Malik Willis and Aaron Rodgers, and it’s safe to assume neither one of them will end up in Kansas City. Willis will likely earn a full-time starting job somewhere, while Rodgers will have no interest in being a backup quarterback. If he plays in 2026, it will be with a team that allows him to start.
This leaves Russell Wilson battling against guys like Marcus Mariota and Joe Flacco. While neither is a particularly exciting option at this stage in their respective careers, they might be better choices than Wilson. Mariota struggles to stay healthy, but he’s still reasonably effective when he’s not battling some type of ailment. Flacco, meanwhile, can’t elevate a team but is more than capable of executing an offense as called.
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