While Russell Wilson may be in “pole position” to start at quarterback for the Steelers, the team is still going to get a look at Justin Fields and measure whether Fields or Wilson is the best quarterback to start for the Steelers. In an article evaluating quarterback competitions around the league, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports writes that the competition between Fields and Wilson will be the “most appealing” and believes that Wilson will ultimately win out.
“This is certainly the most appealing competition from an entertainment perspective. Fields was mercurial but explosive in three seasons as the Chicago Bears’ under-supported starter, so his low-cost acquisition at age 25 felt like a steal. You wonder if he’ll be incorporated even if he doesn’t overtake Wilson, the similarly maligned but far more seasoned acquisition. Steelers brass has been unusually proactive this year, suggesting a lean toward Fields’ upside, but coach Mike Tomlin tends to be patient, and Wilson is a sturdy arm for their old-school attack.”
Despite some of his struggles in Denver last season, Wilson is an upgrade for Pittsburgh’s quarterback room. He’s won a Super Bowl, he’s got a big arm, and he’s shown that he can be successful behind a strong offensive line and run game. Fields might be the higher-upside player, and he too is an upgrade to the quarterback room over Kenny Pickett, but despite their minimal investment in Wilson, it would come as a surprise if he wasn’t starting Week 1.
Fields’ athletic profile does make it interesting to consider if he could be used in other ways. Despite there being some smoke he could return kicks, that just doesn’t seem likely to happen, and Mark Kaboly said he doesn’t believe the Steelers will use Fields in specialty packages. After Pittsburgh declined his fifth-year option, Fields only has one year left on his contract, and if Wilson does win the job, there’s a chance we see Fields take minimal or no snaps.
Of course, the team could work out an extension before the year and either have a long-term backup or their potential quarterback of the future, but if Fields isn’t the starter this season, it’s fair to question how motivated he’d be to sign long-term. As Benjamin writes, the Steelers are patient and seeing them go with the veteran in Wilson, whom they already put in the lead of the competition before either player hit the field, over Fields is expected.
