Much of the attention on the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason is focused on the quarterback situation for the Black and Gold, which features Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
The two were acquired via free agency and via trade this offseason as the Steelers rebuilt the quarterback room in the blink of an eye under GM Omar Khan.
So far in training camp, Fields has seen the bulk of the QB1 work for the Steelers, with Wilson on the mend from a calf injury suffered in the conditioning test while pushing a weighted sled. This has led to plenty of debates as to who the quarterback should be in Pittsburgh.
Head coach Mike Tomlin at least acknowledged on Wednesday that the quarterback situation is very much a competition but that that depth chart—which lists Wilson as the starter—is very much real.
Regardless of who the quarterback winds up being in Pittsburgh, though, ESPN’s Dan Graziano thinks it won’t matter.
Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up! Friday morning, Graziano believes that the Steelers will still be last in the AFC North while believing that Fields is the best option.
“I think he’s the better option than Russell Wilson at this point in their careers. I just, I’m still not sure the Steelers’ answer is there,” Graziano said of the Steelers’ QB situation, according to video via ESPN on YouTube. “And as of right now, as I size them up, I like them as the fourth-best team in their own division, regardless of who the quarterback is.”
Fields might be the better option currently than Wilson due to his athleticism, ability with the football in his hands, and the explosive element he could bring to new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s offense.
The problem with that thinking, though, is that it ignores one key fact: Fields has major issues with ball security, whereas Wilson doesn’t.
That’s a huge sticking point for Tomlin when it comes to the quarterback position, especially with the way the Steelers want to play. They want to lean on the defense, keep games relatively low-scoring, and minimize mistakes. It’s not a flashy style, but it has worked for the Steelers, and Wilson’s ability to protect the football pairs well with that.
That’s not to say Fields can’t do it, but historically, through his first three seasons, he’s had real issues, with 30 interceptions and 38 fumbles. He has to clean that up if he wants any real shot.
Outside of that conversation, though, Graziano’s claim that it doesn’t matter because they’re fourth best is just absurd. Yes, the AFC North is loaded, and yes, Joe Burrow is back healthy in Cincinnati. But for the last few years, the talk all offseason has been about the Steelers being the worst team in the division because of the quarterback situation.
And yet, year after year, there they are, in the playoff picture and far from the worst team in the division. It’s not a coincidence.
Sure, the Ravens, Bengals, and Browns might have better overall rosters than the Steelers, but the Steelers consistently find a way to win. It’s not a fluke—it’s a trait.
Chances are, no matter who is under center for the Steelers, Pittsburgh will not be last in the division, somewhere they haven’t finished since 1988.
