Although QB Justin Fields is not likely to start the season as the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback, he has certainly been getting his chances to practice with the starters at the start of training camp. With QB Russell Wilson out with a calf injury, Fields has been thrust into the starting role to open training camp, and media members who have been watching Fields since OTA’s, are saying he looks better now than earlier this summer.
Steelers reporter Brian Batko joined 93.7 The Fan before Steelers practice today and said he looks better at Saint Vincent College than at the Steelers UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
“I would say he looked better than I observed in OTAs and mini camp where we can’t chart every pass because they’re behind closed doors at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex,” said Batko. “I’ll just say broadly, I feel like he’s looked a little bit more confident. Maybe that comes with getting those first-team reps. I feel like he’s looked a little bit sharper, a little quicker decision-making out here, but still not perfect.”
While we don’t have access to how Justin Fields played during closed practices, Steelers Depot’s own Alex Kozora is at training camp and is charting every pass Fields throws. Kozora has Fields down for going 11-25 for 119 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. If you would like to read what he has to say about Fields through two practices, you can here.
Fields has always been a mixed bag. Sometimes, he looks great, and other times, he is frustrating as hell. From what we have heard and seen in training camp so far, it doesn’t seem like Wilson has to worry about a Lou Gehrig, Wally Pipp moment of Fields replacing Wilson for good after Wilson’s calf injury. But Fields getting reps in with the “1’s” now may be important for later in the season.
Back in 2022, when QB Kenny Pickett replaced QB Mitch Trubisky mid-season, Pickett had a lot of chemistry issues with his receivers, in particular WR Diontae Johnson. Part of the reason for that was Pickett rarely got time with the starters throughout training camp, starting at third string on the depth chart that summer. If Fields needs to come in to replace Wilson, whether that be for injury or poor play, Fields is already beginning to build chemistry with the starters. While Wilson is not expected to be on the mend often, this time playing with the starters is important, and throughout the rest of the summer, Fields will likely step in and get some run with the “1’s” to spell Wilson.
Even though Justin Fields isn’t staking his claim to the starting role, he is improving. That is certainly better than what we have heard throughout this summer about Fields like the speed of the game is too fast for him. That could have just been an adjustment period for Fields as he settled into a new offense and played with new teammates. Either way, there is still a long summer to go, and Fields is still a young player at 25 years old. The hope is that over this summer, Fields continues to grow as a player, and if his number is called upon, he can step up and deliver.
