The Pittsburgh Steelers set out to make the transition following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement a smooth, short process, but that did not turn out the way the organization initially hoped. They made Kenny Pickett the only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, which was a poor choice as he is now currently with the Philadelphia Eagles. With the 2024 season approaching, Pittsburgh has a totally rebuilt quarterback room with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields brought in during the offseason.
While Wilson has been anointed the likely starter heading into Pittsburgh's 2024 training camp, Fields is eager to prove that his time with the Chicago Bears was not a true reflection of his abilities. However, there have been reports of Fields' struggles with accuracy during the Steelers' 2024 Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and minicamp. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic joined The Joe Starkey Show on 93.7 The Fan to shed some light on those rumors of Fields and his performance thus far in black and gold.
"I think he was just a little bit inconsistent in OTAs and minicamp of the accuracy point of it, but it's very limited, small sample size. He might have gotten eight to 10 snaps per day over there... I mean, I don't know where these reports come from of him being disenchanted or uninterested; I mean, that's just ridiculous right there."
The Steelers limped and crawled through a brutal 2023 season that included the historic firing of Matt Canada, injuries decimating the linebackers' room, and another subpar year from Pickett. Yet somehow, the campaign ended with a surprising Wild Card berth. Knowing the franchise couldn't endure a repeat of 2023, Omar Khan, Andy Weidl, and Mike Tomlin worked their magic by not only acquiring Wilson, but trading for Fields as well.
Fields was selected by the Bears with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Chicago envisioned him leading the franchise back to the top of the league with his dual-threat talents. After three seasons that never lived up to the hype however, Pittsburgh traded for the former first-round pick during the 2024 offseason. Despite putting together a 10-28 record as a starter in the NFL, Fields proved during the 2022 season that he can show more than just flashes of what he did routinely in college. In 2022, he only managed 2,242 yards passing with 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, but also rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, neither being enough to get the Bears to a winning season, however.
Fields isn't currently a complete, polished NFL quarterback, which is why the Steelers were able to get him for such a small cost, but that doesn't mean the former Georgia and Ohio State passer has hit his ceiling. Unlike his time in Chicago, Fields isn't the savior for the Steelers, which should allow him the time to grow into the quarterback he was drafted to be.
Steelers Have A Desirable Problem
The Steelers have already made moves to ensure the team is miles ahead compared to the 2023 season. Arthur Smith has been brought in as the new offensive coordinator, bringing head coach experience to the job, which Canada was completely unable to fake. Smith has two quarterbacks who both have something to prove after several seasons they would rather forget. While the national narrative is orbiting around which passer will be the starter when the 2024 season kicks off, either way, the Steelers are set up for a leap forward.
Tomlin, the two-headed-backfield, and a resilient defense combined to somehow get the Steelers to a winning record and a Wild Card game against the Buffalo Bills last season. That accomplishment came with a patchwork offensive strategy and Mason Rudolph, which has fans quite excited for a campaign with more stability than the team has had since the final years of Roethlisberger's career. Pittsburgh invested heavily in the offensive line, which will pay dividends with the new quarterbacks and the eager running backs. With Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren running the ball and George Pickens ready to grow into the elite receiver Pittsburgh wants him to be, whichever quarterback ends up under center for the Steelers will be set up for success.
