If you listen to the reports, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a clear hierarchy in their revamped quarterback room. Russell Wilson is the starter while Justin Fields will be the backup. However, the fact that this is even a conversation shows that we cannot always trust every report at face value. Or that plans can and will change.
That’s why Tuesday’s episode of Get Up on ESPN had the crew discussing Wilson, Fields, and how the Steelers’ quarterback situation will shake out. Former NFL QB Tim Hasselbeck offered up a prediction that Fields will start by Week 10 but then offered up a bold thought that Week 5 (or even crazy enough Week 1) is when Fields will earn his first start as a Steeler.
Booger McFarland took things in a different direction with the thought that Wilson will start all season long.
“They needed more competent quarterback play,” McFarland said about the Steelers. “The reason that Justin Fields is no longer in Chicago is the same reason. They needed more competent quarterback play. So as long as both of these guys are healthy, I think Russell Wilson gives the Pittsburgh Steelers the best chance because of his ability to distribute the football and be the ultimate game manager.”
McFarland’s thought process does go in line with what the Steelers tend to focus on. The Steelers want to be a defense-oriented team with an incredibly strong running game. That’s why they continue to invest heavily in the defensive side of the ball with signings like LB Patrick Queen (and hey, weakening the Baltimore Ravens in the process is a great bonus). Then they bring in former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as the new offensive coordinator (a position he did quite well at with the Tennessee Titans) because he knows how to have an excellent run game and utilizes play-action at a level not seen in Pittsburgh recently.
So starting Wilson at quarterback does make a lot of sense through that lens. He only threw eight interceptions last season on an interception rate of 1.8 percent. Pair that with 26 touchdowns and the Steelers have made a major upgrade in production without a major increase in turnovers. That’s a defensive coach’s dream.
However, former Steelers S Ryan Clark rebutted McFarland’s thoughts — not about Wilson being a game manager but that being what the Steelers need.
“I believe that Russell Wilson can do some of the things you want to do from a game manager standpoint,” Clark said. “But it’s time for Pittsburgh to move past game manager and have a dynamic young quarterback with a strong arm and that can run. Shoot, Justin Fields is more old Russ than Russ is old Russ…I think they can be so much more explosive with Justin Fields.”
Wilson may represent a manager at quarterback at this stage of his career at 35 years old, but Fields represents potential. He does attempt to push the ball down the field at a higher rate than former QB Kenny Pickett because he’s got an arm that can attack the deeper parts of the field with regularity.
As Clark points out, Fields also offers a major boost in the running game. Arthur Smith has no problem getting his quarterbacks out on the move, and Fields is the most dynamic athlete he’s had. He’s averaged 6.2 yards per carry through his first three seasons to go with 2,220 yards rushing and 14 rushing touchdowns. While Wilson was quite the scrambler in his prime, there’s no question Fields is more dynamic on the ground at this stage of their respective careers.
ESPN NFL insider Jeff Darlington took the question of who would finish the season as the Steelers’ starter and wondered if Wilson will even be the Week 1 starter as most people expect.
“Remember when Russell Wilson got to Seattle all those years ago?” Darlington asked. “They had just signed Matt Flynn in Seattle to an $8 million deal. Guess what happened? Russ came in, in 30 seconds won that job. He should know as well as anybody when you show up to training camp, if Justin Fields does that, it’s going to be his job no matter what the Steelers say right now.”
The Seahawks signed Flynn ahead of the 2012 season after he showed some flashes in limited opportunities with the Green Bay Packers. It was a three-year contract with $10 million guaranteed and a potential of $19.5 million. That was quite a lot at that time. The Seahawks then selected Wilson in the third round of that year’s draft, taking a chance on him despite his small stature for an NFL quarterback.
After starting the offseason third on the depth chart behind Flynn and Tavaris Jackson, Wilson won the starting job due to his performance throughout training camp and preseason. So he’s forced a quarterback competition in a scenario where they may have not been one at the onset. Darlington is suggesting that Fields could do the same with a similarly strong performance.
The majority of the Get Up crew expects that Fields will see the field as a starter at some point this upcoming season with McFarland being the lone exception. How early that occurs is up for debate.
With how the Steelers have approached the start of this offseason, we should not be surprised if Fields is the Week 1 starter with a strong training camp. As Darlington said, Wilson did it before.
You can watch the entire conversation below:
