The Pittsburgh Steelers massively upgraded their quarterbacks room by replacing Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Since Ben Roethlisberger started to regress at the end of his legendary career, the Steelers have not had the same dominant offense they once had. As they gear up for the 2024 season, there is a sense of hope that their offense can start to perform again, whether it be Wilson or Fields under center.
Wilson, according to Head Coach Mike Tomlin, is in "pole position" for the starting job ahead of Fields. Wilson was brought in when Pittsburgh still had Pickett on their roster, which would start a snowball effect. Pickett was traded as a result of Wilson's arrival, and this trade would lead to the Fields acquisition. With the Steelers now having two capable starters with unique talents, a quarterback competition is in place, technically.
The biggest headline in the Steel City this offseason will continue to be who will be the starter Week 1 when they go on the road to play the Atlanta Falcons. After finishing off Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp, the sense is that this is Wilson's team, at least according to Ray Fittipaldo. The Steelers reporter was recently on a segment for SiriusXM NFL Radio and gave his opinion on the current QB battle and Fields' development.
"Unless Russell Wilson is really bad in the preseason games, this is his job. Fields, from what I've seen, you know they've had a month of spring practice this year, he's a terrific athlete. But the mocks against him that I heard coming in actually turned out to be true. He's not terribly accurate with the ball, his placement isn't all that great."
The entire NFL knows his ability to create explosive plays, but reporters like Fittipaldo and Chris Simms would just like to see more consistency. Fields has been harshly critiqued throughout his three-year career about his throwing abilities as a passer. The 2021 first rounder was in a bad situation with the Chicago Bears and was developed poorly. Pittsburgh made the trade for him for a reason, and he could entirely end up as the future franchise quarterback.
Whether Fields earns himself some playing time on the field or not this season, he's still in a good position to learn from Wilson and the Steelers' coaching staff. He continues to improve each year statistically as well, which is worth something. Both Fields and Wilson are under one-year contracts with Pittsburgh, so it's not likely that they will both be on the roster in 2025. Wilson is in a spot where he has to perform well in 2024, and probably will have to win a playoff game or two. If not, Wilson will be walking out of the door and Fields will get his chance to become the Steelers' franchise QB.
Fittipaldo also mentions the possibility of creating certain packages for Fields each week, depending on the opponent. This would be a great opportunity for Fields to show the fans and the coaches what he can do. If Wilson struggles at any point, these packages for Fields would be the time to showcase his skill set and take the starting job.
Steelers Quarterbacks Praising Wideouts George Pickens And Calvin Austin III
Aside from the quarterback discussion, the biggest concern in Pittsburgh currently is who is going to be catching all of the passes. Obviously we know what George Pickens is capable of, and he will be a solid number one option. Behind Pickens though, the team is counting on guys like Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and Van Jefferson to step up. Through OTAs and minicamp, both Wilson and Fields have had a lot of exciting things to say about Pickens and Austin.
Wilson has shown a lot of excitement about Pickens' growth, and explained that he is a rare and unique talent. Fields also said great things about Austin and his efforts so far in practice. The Pittsburgh receivers are going to have to take on bigger roles this season, and their development could determine if they are a playoff team.
