How many games will Justin Fields start for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024?
Even though reports indicate the Steelers told Russell Wilson he is the starter, many continue to speculate about Justin Fields. The former first-round pick comes to Pittsburgh off a failed three-year stint with the Chicago Bears. He posted a 10-28 record there, but the Steelers seem to believe he’s better than that.
Better for, perhaps the 2025 season, anyway, or so it sounds. Still, we’ve heard speculation about all kinds of timetables for when Fields will play. Some believe he is going to open the season as the starter, and Wilson may not even be here anymore.
The Denver Broncos did bench Wilson at the end of last season, but that was no traditional benching. They sat him because he refused to waive injury guarantees in his contract and they refused to risk an injury.
We must keep in mind that the Steelers are dealing with two quarterbacks who are brand new to them. At the same time, they are also working on implementing a new offense, so uncertainty is natural at this time. They can’t possibly know exactly how each fits in their plans without seeing them first.
So is the window cracked open for the possibility of Fields starting at some point this year, and if so, when? How much does Wilson have to struggle until head coach Mike Tomlin decides to pull the plug? Surely he intended for Mitch Trubisky to play longer than he did in 2022, but performance dictated otherwise.
One thing Fields brings is the dynamic, athletic element. He can mask some offensive line deficiencies with his mobility, but they must rein in his penchant for trying to do too much. He takes a sack on about one-eighth of his drop-backs, which is far from ideal.
Is it possible that we even see a “competition” of any sort during training camp and the preseason? What if Fields is clearly significantly better than Wilson by the time the regular season begins? Even if they don’t start Fields to begin the year, they may feel less hesitant to turn to him later.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are swirling with more questions this offseason than usual, frankly, though the major free agent list is less substantial than usual. It’s just a matter of…what happens next? Where do they go from here? How do they find the way forward?
