If Justin Fields steals a handful of snaps throughout the season, Russell Wilson isn’t going to mind. Speaking to reporters following Wednesday’s practice, Wilson endorsed the idea of the Pittsburgh Steelers creating a specialty package for Fields, utilizing his strengths as one of the game’s most dynamic runners.
Per 93.7 The Fan, Wilson signed off on the idea, believing it “would strike fear in defenses.”
The Steelers haven’t committed to using Fields in such fashion. In fact, they haven’t even officially cemented Wilson’s spot as the team’s Week 1 quarterback. But he’s the clear front-runner and using Fields in specialty situations would guarantee Wilson’s place atop the depth chart. For Wilson, that’s a worthy trade-off.
Pittsburgh enters 2024 with plenty of unknown at quarterback and is in a unique situation. A former Super Bowl winner in Wilson, a former first-round pick in Fields, both on cheap, expiring contracts. While Wilson is likely to get the initial nod due to his experience, leadership, and taking better care of the football, Fields is arguably too talented to hold the clipboard like a traditional backup quarterback. Some analysts have envisioned a Taysom Hill role for him, though that probably stretches the boundaries of what the Steelers are willing to explore.
As we pointed out Wednesday morning, new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith could utilize the designed QB run game to get Fields on the field. One of the best running quarterbacks in football, top two alongside Lamar Jackson, Fields rushed for 1,143 yards in 2022 while leading the league with 7.1 yards per carry. His rushing yards are second-most in NFL history, only trailing Jackson’s 1,206 set in 2019. They are the only two quarterbacks in NFL history to run for over 1,100 yards in a single season and one of just three to cross the 1,000-yard mark (Mike Vick in 2006 is the other).
How often these plays could be used if they’re used would be game plan dependent. Some weeks, Fields could see five such snaps. Others, he might receive zero. It would depend on the matchup, opponent, and how well the plays are working in-game. But it’s a wrinkle the team should at least explore, especially knowing Russell Wilson would take no issue with it.
