Russell Wilson further linked to Raiders by ex-Pete Carrol assistant

After the 2024 NFL season came to an end, it looked like Russell Wilson would probably re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers as their next starting quarterback… at least until Pete Carroll was hired by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Suddenly, the Raiders, who haven’t had a long-term starting quarterback since they drafted Derek Carr out of Fresno State in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, had a ready-made quarterback lined up with extensive experience playing under their new coach at 36, he could actually stick around for a little while, allowing the team to draft a new quarterback and develop him into the future with no real pressure to see the field as a rookie.

Now granted, when it comes to NFL rumors in January, fans pretty much have to take any piece of information they receive with a grain of salt, right? Certainly, but in his 2025 NFL free agency primer for ESPN, Matt Bowen provided a very interesting piece of information from ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, who has talked to former Carroll assistants who believe a reunion is possible, if not likely.

“Is a reunion with Pete Carroll, now Las Vegas’ head coach, really viable? Two ex-Carroll assistants believe they can coexist, with one taking it as far as predicting that Wilson will sign there, adding that the two rekindled their relationship a little over a year ago after a rocky ending the Seattle,” Fowler wrote.

“I think both would be open to it, especially with this QB class the way it is,” another ex-Carroll coach said. The Raiders’ plans are uncertain, but this at least seems like a possibility.”

Interesting stuff, right? Well, it actually might get even more so for Raider Nation, as Bowen believes that there might not be a particularly robust market for Wilson’s services, listing him as the 42nd-ranked free agent in this year’s class.

“In 11 starts for the Steelers, Wilson completed 63.7% of his throws for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns, registering a QBR of 51.4 (22nd),” Bowen wrote. “He can still throw with pace and touch downfield, and he would benefit from a system that’s heavy in play-action. But with his reduced mobility, Wilson isn’t a creator outside of structure at this stage of his career.”

Alright, so is Wilson that low on Bowen’s list because he’s a somewhat diminished player or because there really isn’t that big of a market for his services, with the Raiders and Steelers likely competing for his services one-on-one? Still, considering Tom Brady is leading the way in Las Vegas, and he knows a thing or two about playing quarterback on the wrong side of 35 as well as anyone else, the Raiders might be able to put together an offer that’s enticing enough to lure the former Seahawk to Nevada for another shot as a Super Bowl Trophy.