The Pittsburgh Steelers went from having one of the worst, more boring quarterback situations in the NFL to now having one of the more interesting QB rooms in the league, with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields now both under contract with the team.
Obviously both quarterbacks are at very different stages in their NFL careers — but each has shown they can start at a high level.
From the moment the Steelers acquired both quarterbacks, head coach Mike Tomlin has made it clear that Russell Wilson was going to be given the first opportunity to be the team’s starting QB.
According to Pittsburgh Steelers Insider Mark Kaboly, Wilson didn’t do anything during offseason OTAs to lose that advantage.
“Wilson did nothing through 12 practices to even slightly indicate he could lose the quarterback competition to Justin Fields,” Kaboly wrote for The Athletic. “The work ethic, the experience, the arm talent and the fact he basically took all of the first-team snaps strongly suggest that nothing Wilson can do between July 24 and Sept. 8 would prevent him from starting.”
Shortly after the Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision to replace Kenny Pickett with both Wilson and Fields, they clarified that it would be Wilson who got the first shot at the starting job. Head coach Mike Tomlin left the door open for Fields to win the job at some point over the summer, or even later in the regular season, but it was Wilson’s job first.
“You couldn’t have asked for much more out of Wilson during OTAs and minicamp, on the field and off it. His leadership is more than noticeable, and that’s been true since the first day he showed up. What stood out was his arm talent, whether it was a throw in the flat, at the goal line or down the field.”
That earned Wilson a spot on Kaboly’s offseason “winners” list. Fields on the other hand ended up in the “losers” pile.
As of now, it looks like Wilson’s veteran presence, leadership and ability to pick up NFL offenses makes him the clear front runner to be the Steelers starter in Week 1, but according to Kaboly’s report, Fields isn’t exactly putting much pressure on the former Broncos and Seahawks QB.
Justin Fields Struggling With Pittsburgh Steelers So Far According To Report
Kaboly spoke glowingly of Wilson, but his report about Fields wasn’t nearly as positive after the team’s official OTAs.
“Don’t get bent out of shape with Fields finding himself on this list,” Kaboly wrote. “His talent speaks for itself. But unlike Wilson, he has a lot of obstacles to overcome for an opportunity this year. Fields didn’t get many first-team reps, and that’s significant come training camp. More than that, you can see what made him a first-round pick … and also what made the Chicago Bears move on. The arm strength, speed and playmaking with his legs are undeniable. However, he showed inconsistent accuracy and relied on his feet too quickly after the first read. That stuff can be fixed, but maybe not throughout a training camp.”
It’s clear Fields will have to make a major leap in training camp if he is going to truly compete with Wilson for the Pittsburgh Steelers starting job.
The Bears decided to move on from Fields this year and drafted Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick to take over as the team’s next quarterback. When it became clear that Fields was no longer in the Bears’ plans, the initial expectation was that he could fetch a decent return on the trade market. Something like a second or third-round pick in the 2024 draft. That strong market never materialized however, and GM Ryan Poles ended up receiving a 2025 sixth-round pick that could turn into a fourth-round pick if Fields meets certain playing time thresholds this year.
One inconsistent offseason program won’t ruin Fields’ chances of earning the starting job sometime down the road. Things change quickly in the NFL, and training camp practices are often more telling than OTAs in May and June. Of course, injury potential in the sport means Fields is always one play away from taking over the Pittsburgh Steelers offense.
