Is Russell Wilson’s calf injury and his absence just an abundance of caution or a cause for concern?
Russell Wilson, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ presumed starting quarterback, hasn’t practiced yet during training camp. He injured his calf pushing a sled during the team’s new conditioning test, because quarterbacks need to do that apparently. While head coach Mike Tomlin has said they are merely being extremely cautious, and the quarterback has said he is ready to practice, sometimes your body knows better than you do.
And sometimes injuries are more serious than Tomlin lets on. Brian Batko, for example, reminded us of Najee Harris’ foot injury in 2022. We didn’t find out until weeks into the regular season that he had a plate in his cleat. He also referenced Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow, a thought that also occurred to me regarding Wilson and his return.
It’s possible that the Steelers are downplaying Wilson’s injury right now, considering missing the first three days of camp is pretty significant and not something you would want with a new quarterback, no matter how experienced he is.
But even if they aren’t, there is the possibility that an abundance of caution isn’t enough. If Russell Wilson returns and aggravates that calf injury, he could miss extended time. Especially for an athlete in his mid-30s, injuries such as this can quickly become nagging nuisances.
Or, Wilson can return to practice today and take every single rep for the rest of camp. He could play the entire season running around like he is 25 years old again instead of 35. But for someone who supposedly spends so much time in the weight room, you don’t want to hear about soft-tissue injuries like this.
Perhaps this is just Mike Tomlin’s way of “very carefully” dividing up the quarterback reps, as he said. Russell Wilson watching from the sideline has certainly given the Steelers a long look at Justin Fields. Now that they have done so, will that calf suddenly feel better?
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
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? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
