If you know Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, you’d know that there’s only one reason the organization would bench quarterback Justin Fields in favor of Russell Wilson — the latter is believed to give the team the best chance to win football games. Right?
During a Sunday morning article on October 20, NFL insider Dianna Russini (The Athletic) relayed everything that she’s been “hearing” around the league ahead of Week 7. Within it was a very interesting thought about the Steelers’ decision to roll with Wilson over Fields.
“One other thing to consider that may or may not be impacting this decision,” Russini wrote. “If Fields plays 51 percent of Pittsburgh’s snaps this season, the trade compensation to the [Chicago] Bears changes from a sixth-round pick to a fourth-rounder.”
Now, Russini did add that she doesn’t “actually believe” that Tomlin is factoring the previous trade clause into his thinking, but she also noted that “some people I’ve talked to around the league have speculated [the Steelers might be].”
“More than anything, league-wide, many are questioning why Tomlin would make a move like this when things are going well,” the NFL insider continued. “We’ll find out Sunday night if Tomlin is smarter than everyone — or if this decision blows up, as some fear it might.”
Jets Present Difficult Matchup for Steelers, Russell Wilson
While Russini stated that Tomlin deserves the “benefit of the doubt” — considering his long track record as a successful head coach — she also relayed the fears of her sources around the league. One major one being the matchup with the New York Jets.
“Some around the league posed this question: If you are going to switch to the QB who hasn’t taken one live regular-season snap, why do it against a fierce Jets defense?” She asked. “Pittsburgh has the New York Giants next week — wouldn’t that make more sense for Wilson’s debut?”
The Giants aren’t necessarily an easy matchup for a banged-up Steelers offensive line either, with disruptive defensive linemen like Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns suiting up for Big Blue. Having said that, the Jets should be a challenging debut for the veteran signal-caller.
NYJ ranks sixth in the NFL in pressure rate according to Pro Football Reference. They also have intelligent coverage defenders like cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed (questionable, groin), as well as savvy veteran linebacker C.J. Mosley.
“Maybe it’s that if Fields had a great game against the Jets, the door would be completely shut on Wilson,” Russini pondered on October 20. She even reported that sources within the Jets organization say the opposition is “happy” about the QB change.
Steelers Should Have Short Leash With Russell Wilson as Starting QB
Tomlin always made it seem as if Wilson would get his opportunity, once healthy. And now he will.
It goes without saying that the Steelers cannot be rigid with their quarterback situation, however.
Fields has already proven that he can win games for this franchise, with a 4-2 record over the first six weeks. If Wilson loses to the Jets on Sunday Night Football, and then the Giants the following weekend, the fanbase will certainly call for Fields to take back the starting job.
Heck, they might even call for the 25-year-old if the Steelers fall to the Jets.
If that happens, Tomlin must remain open to turning things over to Fields once again. There can be no ego or stubbornness in this decision — and certainly no thoughts about potential trade compensation.
