For those that believe there is a competition for the starting quarterback position in Pittsburgh I don’t know what to tell you. Actually I do; there isn’t one. I realize this runs counter to the narrative that many national and even local publications are pushing but it just isn’t the case. Allow me to explain.
Many feel that because Justin Fields was a first round draft pick, he should automatically be considered a viable option to start at QB. While I understand the thinking, there’s a lot more to it than that. In three seasons with the Chicago Bears, Fields went 10-28 in 38 games started. That record isn’t all on him as he dealt with coordinator changes and a less than stellar group around him. Ultimately however, your record speaks volumes about your play.
Fields’ play did see some improvement towards the end of the 2023 season but the Bears had seen enough and the trade rumors were already out there. When the season ended, it was speculated that Fields could garner a first or at worst, a second round pick via trade. The trade that brought Fields to the Steel City ended up being for a 2025 sixth round pick which could become a fourth depending on playing time and other parameters. In other words, the Bears got far less for him than they or anyone else predicted.
So why is that?
When Fields entered the NFL there were zero questions about his athletic ability and ability to make plays with his legs. The knocks on him – which have continued – were his difficulty in reading defenses and his struggles to hit open receivers. If those things had improved over the last three seasons, don’t you think there would have been more interest in him? No one was willing to put up more than a sixth round pick?
Russell Wilson is not without his own issues. He takes too many sacks and holds onto the ball too long in many instances. In other words, he’s a shorter version of Ben Roethlisberger at times… The differences however between Wilson and Fields are significant. Playing for a head coach in Denver last season that didn’t even want him, Wilson still went 7-8 as a starter throwing for 26 TDs and eight picks. Steelers’ fans would have DIED for that production the last couple of seasons.
But Wilson is also a leader, a positive voice and a guy who has won a Super Bowl. As we said on the SCB Steelers Podcast last week, there will be moments when his positivity will actually infuriate fans. They’ll be frustrated that he isn’t complaining or sounding “down” in the worst of times.
On the field, he will make the throws that we haven’t seen made in recent seasons. He knows how to read coverages and yes, he’ll make mistakes, but they will be far less than what we’ve seen and less than what Fields would provide. Fields needs to take this season as a learning opportunity. He’s had them before with guys like Andy Dalton and Nick Foles around but that was just his rookie season. With both Wilson and veteran Kyle Allen in the QB room, I expect him to gain even more confidence and knowledge.
All this said, the only way this becomes a “competition” is if Wilson regresses to the point where he’s turning the ball over too much and isn’t making the proper reads. While he’s in his later years, I don’t see that type of regression just yet. I do expect some packages for Fields simply because you can’t allow his type of athleticism to hold a clipboard all the time, but it will be limited.
I fully expect that Wilson will see the lions’ share of first team snaps in Camp and beyond. Anything less would draw questions and I don’t think Mike Tomlin is in any mood for that.
