For the third straight day of training camp, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson is not practicing. He is once again sporting a baseball cap down on the field, per Alex Kozora on X.
Wilson talked about the importance of mental reps and how he is still staying engaged while not fully practicing. As Kozora noted, it would appear he is slowly increasing his level of involvement in the early portions of practices. He was handing the ball off a few times but without a helmet on.
As we learned yesterday from Wilson himself, he tweaked his calf during the conditioning test on Wednesday while pushing a weighted sled. He told the media that he would have played if there had been a game. He also said he wanted to practice, but head coach Mike Tomlin decided to hold him out.
Tomlin said he is trying to prevent something minor from becoming something major. Soft tissue injuries can linger, so it is probably wise to get him some rest, especially during the unpadded practices, which are basically an extension of OTAs. At 35 years old and with a wealth of NFL experience, it isn’t a huge deal for him to miss a few practices.
It has also created additional opportunities for Justin Fields, Kyle Allen, and John Rhys Plumlee to move up a unit and get more reps than they otherwise would have.
Fields has made the most of his opportunities, showing off his arm talent with some deep completions over the first two practices. As a 25-year-old quarterback who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, these extra looks are a valuable opportunity for the Steelers to evaluate him. Wilson will almost certainly be the starting quarterback for the 2024 season, but Fields has the potential to be a long-term solution if he continues to progress as a young quarterback.
For in-depth thoughts on Fields’ performance over the first two days of camp, check out Kozora’s breakdown from last night.
National media folks who have been speculating on Fields winning the competition have already chimed in that this is his opportunity to seize the job. But Mike Tomlin confirmed during his opening press conference at training camp that Wilson remains in pole position.
