Despite an overhaul at the quarterback position with the Pittsburgh Steelers adding Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, not everyone is sold that the room is going to be better. On Get Up! Thursday, ESPN analyst Dan Graziano argued that neither Wilson nor Fields could be the answer, and that despite being “bigger names” than the Steelers have had at quarterback, the position is still a question mark.
“You can’t rule out the possibility that neither one of these guys is the answer, right? I know we’re excited ’cause they’re bigger names, but Pittsburgh made the playoffs last year with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph at quarterback. They can do it, the question is do they have quarterback play that can elevate them beyond seven seed, first-round exit,” Graziano said.
Graziano pointed out that Fields never made the playoffs with the Chicago Bears as their starting quarterback and called Wilson’s play with the Denver Broncos over the last two years “extremely poor,” hence why both still are question marks.
“I think there are major question marks at that position, even though they have bigger names there than they might have had a year ago.”
Fields not making the playoffs in Chicago shouldn’t be some big knock against him because he never had a great supporting cast, but it’s fair to question whether Wilson or Fields will be able to win in Pittsburgh. I don’t think it’s much of a question that the room improved, and both certainly present an upgrade over what the Steelers got out of Pickett, but in an unforgiving AFC, it might be tough for either Fields or Wilson to lead the Steelers deep into the postseason.
If the team can’t win a playoff game, then the season isn’t going to be looked at as a success, no matter how good the regular season might be. Ultimately the biggest question mark with whoever starts at quarterback (likely Wilson), is whether or not he’ll be good enough to win a playoff game. Graziano paints a much more bleak picture talking about “major question marks” but his point about quarterback play elevating the Steelers beyond what they’ve been as a low seed that loses in the first round is fair, although the other changes to the offense are going to make a difference, too.
I do think that the improvement at quarterback is significant enough for the Steelers to be a better team, especially coupled with what should be an improved offensive line and the addition of Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator. Smith is going to make a big difference in Pittsburgh’s offense, and that should bolster the quarterback play beyond Fields and Wilson just being better than what the Steelers have had. Even Wilson’s season last year that Graziano thought was “extremely poor” would’ve been head and shoulders above what the Steelers got from Pickett.
While the fact that both are bigger names is why the Steelers’ quarterback situation is getting so much national media attention, people are discounting just how bad Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks have been for most of the last two seasons. The upgrade provided by Wilson and Fields is significant enough to be excited about the Steelers potentially making some noise in the playoffs in 2024.
