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Cleveland.com’s Irie Harris named Russell Wilson the No. 3 free agent quarterback for the 2026 NFL offseason.
There isn’t a whole lot of chatter around Russell Wilson’s market value with a couple weeks to go before NFL free agency. At least, there isn’t much talk about Wilson’s market at most outlets.
Cleveland.com’s Irie Harris, however, recently pushed the idea that Wilson should see a lot more attention.
While ranking the top available free agent quarterbacks this offseason, Harris placed Wilson at No. 3.
Notably, Wilson’s replacement with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Aaron Rodgers, came in at No. 4 on the list.
“His two seasons in Denver ended sourly, then came a solid but quick season in Pittsburgh, then a season tied into the Giants’ dysfunction. However, Wilson is only a season removed from his postseason appearance with Pittsburgh,” wrote Harris on February 20.
“The 37-year-old still has the arm to make up for any shortage of athleticism.
“During his sole season in Pittsburgh, Wilson provided solid play by completing 63.7% of his passes for 2,482 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and five picks.
“He further showed what he’s still got in the tank with the Giants. His highlight of the season was his 450 yards and three scores in a Week 2 loss, though it wasn’t long before Jaxson Dart was set to start.”
Harris pointed to injuries on Wilson’s recent resume — not his play — as the main reason teams could give pause to signing the veteran in March.
The Cleveland Browns reporter only had Daniel Jones and Malik Willis ahead of Wilson on his NFL free agent quarterback rankings.
Where Will Russell Wilson Sign in 2026 NFL Free Agency?
Harris ranking Wilson as the No. 3 available quarterback in free agency is almost shocking. Other pundits haven’t predicted Wilson to be a coveted free agent.
In fact, most analysts consider him an afterthought.
NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal didn’t include Wilson on his top 101 NFL free agents for 2026. Four signal-callers made the list — Willis, Jones, Rodgers and Marcus Mariota.
Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim also had those four quarterbacks ranked as her top five free agents at the position. Joe Flacco joined them on the list as well.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell didn’t individually rank his top free agent quarterbacks. But he placed them in tiers.
Wilson made Barnwell’s Tier 6, which was called “backups likely to earn roster spot.” Incredibly, 12 quarterbacks were in the top five tiers clearly ahead of Wilson. Barnwell had journeyman signal-callers such as Geno Smith, Gardner Minshew and Mitch Trubisky rated higher than Wilson.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper had Wilson rated as his No. 6 free agent quarterback.
Wilson Currently on 8-Game Losing Streak
It wasn’t long ago that Wilson had the Steelers looking like a real contender. The quarterback went 6-1 in his first seven Pittsburgh starts, and the Steelers were sitting at 10-3 after Thanksgiving in 2024.
On December 1, 2024, Wilson threw for 414 passing yards with three touchdowns.
But the Pittsburgh season fell apart in December 2024. Wilson was part of why.
He committed five turnovers in three losses over the span of 11 days (Dec. 15-25). Wilson and the offense then couldn’t move the ball in the next two contests, including the postseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
In three New York Giants starts, Wilson had one stellar statistical game. He completed 73.2% of his passes for 450 yards with three touchdowns in Week 2.
But he looked below average in two other September appearances. The Giants lost all three of his starts.
Wilson will enter free agency having lost his last eight starts, including the playoffs.
There are plenty of teams desperate for better quarterback play. But two of them, the Steelers and Giants, are very unlikely to give Wilson another shot.
Other organizations might prefer younger options with more upside or veterans who have won more lately (Rodgers or Flacco).
Having said that, it will only take one team believing in Wilson for the veteran quarterback to get another starting chance in 2026. At the very least, Harris’s rankings are a reminder of that fact.
Harris also made clear that the former Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl champion still has his fans.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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