Through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first 10 practices of training camp, quarterback Justin Fields has made himself the storyline of camp so far at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
With Russell Wilson out for the first four days of training camp and then limited in his return due to a calf injury suffered during the conditioning test while pushing a weighted sled, Fields has taken advantage of the opportunity with the Steelers, making some plays and generating some buzz in training camp.
He’s earned some praise from teammates and coaches, too, which has fueled speculation regarding a potential quarterback competition for the starting job in the Steel City.
When it comes to a potential decision that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin might need to make, former NFL defensive back, scout, and current NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks has one piece of advice: listen to the players.
Appearing on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd Monday, Brooks stated that when it comes to a decision between Wilson and Fields for the Steelers, should it get to that point, Pittsburgh has to listen to the players, who are overwhelming supporting Fields with comments so far.
“Everything that you’re hearing outta there, ignore what the coaches are saying. Listen to what the players are saying. Patrick Queen talking about his athleticism, how he’s dealing inside the pocket, but also the athleticism outside of it,” Brooks said to Cowherd, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “The D-coordinator, Teryl Austin, talking about, man, this has been so good because he’s getting us ready to play Lamar Jackson. Like, think about that. Like that’s a compliment for them to talk about. Not that he’s Lamar Jackson, but for them to say that this is getting us ready to play a two-time MVP, he’s doing something in practice that is catching their eye.
“For Russell, when Russell gets back, Russell has to find a way to close, close that off, to kinda shut that off so he can’t give them a reason. If it’s close, you go to the young guy, and so Russell has to come back, and he has to fire on all cylinders. The offense has to look different when he is in there.”
It’s worth adding context that the only reason players are speaking so highly of Justin Fields right now, and Fields alone at the QB position, is that Wilson has been on the shelf with the calf injury and has been limited in recent days. He hasn’t been practicing full-go, which has limited him to simply throwing on the side, occasionally getting looks in 7-on-7, and only recently throwing a pass in 11-on-11.
In the meantime, Justin Fields has seen almost all of the reps in all situations and has taken advantage. He’s flashed with his legs on read-options, giving the defense fits, and he’s made some plays in the pocket with his arm down the field. He’s the shiny new Ferrari that was just brought in off the showroom floor, and that Ferrari is showing all the bells and whistles that make it that coveted sports car.
To end the conversation that has started to generate speed down the tracks at the quarterback position, Wilson has to get back into a full practice session and perform well to try and quiet the noise, much like Brooks said. As the veteran 36-year-old quarterback, Wilson isn’t as flashy as Fields is, but he’s a better passer overall and a better leader, and he needs to show it immediately when he returns in full.
If not, the conversation will only get louder. If that happens, it would behoove Tomlin and the Steelers to listen to the players and turn it over to Fields. With his skillset, Justin Fields will provide defenses with major headaches, though he might give the Steelers some headaches along the way with his ball security issues.
“Players always tell you the truth about what they think of the players because the players don’t have an agenda when it comes to other players. They want the best player,” Brooks added. “And when the defense talks about Justin the way they have, you just don’t glow over somebody just to make him feel good. There’s something that he’s doing in practice that makes them feel like if he was playing, they would have a shot to win.”
We’ll see what happens moving forward, but right now, it’s pretty clear that players on the roster, especially on defense, are very intrigued by Fields and impressed with what he’s brought to the table so far. The Steelers seem to be, too.
