With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first preseason game approaching fast, it seems more and more likely that Russell Wilson will not play. Luckily, the Steelers have a number of quarterbacks ready to receive more reps in his place. Justin Fields will be the starter, but it’s unclear how much time he’ll actually see in the game. That leaves Kyle Allen and John Rhys Plumlee as the other signal callers who should see action, and it sounds like Plumlee is prepared to make the most of any opportunities he gets.
In a video on Twitter from Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Plumlee was asked how he’s feeling about getting more reps with Wilson injured.
“I try to make the most of whatever I get,” Plumlee said Tuesday. “Whether it’s a mental rep that I’m watching behind Russell or Justin or Kyle, or if it’s a physical rep that I get to get, I try to make the most of it. For me, it’s about capitalizing on every opportunity to get right. With Russ going down, it opened up a couple more reps for me, which I’m thankful for. There’s a silver lining in it for me, but obviously prayers for Russ.”
Plumlee is an undrafted rookie, so any reps he can get, he needs to make the most of. His route to making the Steelers’ 53-man roster is a challenging one. If he performs well enough in camp and the preseason though, he could find himself on the Steelers’ practice squad, or potentially getting a chance on another team’s 53-man roster.
Plumlee has also shown that he’s willing to do anything to increase his value, lining up as a kick returner during camp. Versatility is something Mike Tomlin loves, and for a player like Plumlee, it could be the difference between being on a team versus being on the outside looking in.
It also sounds like Wilson should be healthy soon, so Plumlee could see his reps begin to diminish. Therefore, this preseason game might be his best opportunity to show what he can do. Fields and Wilson will be on the Steelers this year. If they keep a third quarterback, Allen probably has that job secured. That doesn’t mean Plumlee’s efforts are for naught.
If he shows enough in the preseason game, he could be the first one the Steelers call if they suffer injuries at quarterback this year. Maybe Plumlee gets some time suited up as a backup if Wilson’s injury lingers and something happens to one of the other quarterbacks. His journey will be a tough one, but hard work and perseverance may lead to some measure of success at some point. His performance in the game on Friday will be one to monitor.
