In the blink of an eye during the first week of the new league year back in mid-March, the Pittsburgh Steelers reshaped their quarterback room.
Gone were Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. In came Russell Wilson in free agency and Justin Fields via trade, giving the quarterback room a significant boost from a talent and ceiling standpoint.
Wilson, throughout the offseason, has maintained the “pole position” as the starting quarterback, but in training camp Fields has seen a majority of the QB1 snaps due to Wilson’s calf injury. That has opened the door to a potential quarterback competition, creating some additional excitement for the Black and Gold, at least internally.
Externally though, there’s a lot of hand-wringing and doubting of the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh, especially from ESPN’s Dan Graziano. Earlier in the week, Graziano stated that he believes it doesn’t matter who is under center for the Steelers as they’ll still be the fourth-best team in the division.
Now, in an article for ESPN.com, Graziano writes that the most likely outcome for the Steelers under center is that neither Wilson nor Fields will be the answer and that they’ll be searching for another quarterback next offseason once again.
“Wilson starts Week 1 by default (assuming he’s healthy), but the same issues that frustrated three different coaching staffs over the past three seasons frustrate this one too, and the Steelers eventually decide to give Fields a look,” Graziano writes. “Fields delivers some fun days but still shows too many weaknesses to convince the Steelers he’s their guy. Pittsburgh somehow secures the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff field and loses to the Chiefs in the first round.
“And it brings in … I don’t know, let’s say Daniel Jones. Or Mac Jones. Some Jones of some sort, seeing if it can get it right this time.”
While it does seem like as long as Wilson is healthy he’ll be the starter Week 1 in Atlanta, it seems a bit unfair to say that three different coaching staffs were frustrated with him. His first year in Denver wasn’t on Wilson. The offense under head coach Nathaniel Hackett was a dumpster fire. As much as Wilson tried to elevate it, the scheme was far too easy to defend, and Hackett was in over his head as a first-time head coach.
Taking sacks and checking things down at times last season in Denver certainly was a problem. But Seattle didn’t move on from Wilson due to his play on the field. That’s nonsensical from Graziano.
Wilson might be good. He might not be. He’s still an upgrade over what the Steelers had and has a great resume to deserve the starting nod.
But there is a great chance that Fields sees the field this season and gets a real audition to be the Steelers’ franchise quarterback moving forward. He has great traits to work with and has flashed at times in training camp. But there are concerns about his ability to improve ball security and decision-making, which hindered him in Chicago.
As Graziano writes, he might flash in Pittsburgh, but it might not be enough.
That could theoretically lead to the Steelers being back in the QB market next offseason if Wilson and Fields both aren’t the answer, especially with both quarterbacks — and even third-stringer Kyle Allen — on one-year deals.
Throwing out names like Daniel Jones and Mac Jones is very uncomfortable though. Just the thought of either one of those QBs being a potential option for the 2025 season is disheartening. But it could come to that if things don’t go well for the Steelers quarterbacks in 2024.
There’s a long way to go in 2024, though, and a lot of football to be played. Sitting here right now and saying that the Steelers will be back in the QB market next offseason is just a continuation of Graziano’s belief and bias against both Wilson and Fields, not even attempting to have an open mind and give them a chance in new settings.
