The Pittsburgh Steelers made it official Wednesday, naming QB Russell Wilson as the team’s Week 1 starter. For some, it was as obvious as the sun rising in the east every day. Others thought that Justin Fields acquitted himself well with the unexpected opportunity of Wilson being sidelined with a calf strain through much of training camp.
Now, the Steelers face two main questions about the quarterback position. Will Wilson win them games and will Fields see the field much in 2024?
“You’re dealing with two quarterbacks who get sacked more than any other in football,” ESPN’s Ed Werder said when asked how long Wilson will be starting in Pittsburgh on First Up on TSN 1050 Thursday morning. “And the Pittsburgh offensive line is a question…You question whether they’re going to be able to protect either one of these quarterbacks.”
The Buffalo Bills sacked Wilson three times in his preseason debut for the Steelers. OT Broderick Jones was responsible for two of those sacks. Now, the offensive line looked much better against the Detroit Lions last Saturday. Jones credited his mental approach with helping him bounce back versus the Lions.
But that was against the Lions’ backups. In Week 1, the Steelers play the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons recently acquired Matthew Judon to bolster their pass rush. Judon only played in four games for the New England Patriots in 2023, but he still had four sacks in those four games. That was after two straight seasons of double-digit sacks, including 15.5 in 2022.
So Werder questions whether the Steelers’ offensive line will hold up throughout the season. With G Isaac Seumalo sidelined with a pectoral injury, the line certainly has questions. Who will replace Seumalo at left guard? Will it be rookie Mason McCormick? That would mean two rookie starters right next to each other along with C Zach Frazier. Will OT Troy Fautanu be healthy enough to start the season? Or will it be Jones at right tackle?
Those questions could keep offensive line coach Pat Meyer up at night. And they could spell trouble for Wilson. It’s why Werder thinks the Steelers will make a switch at some point during the season.
“I would say at probably the midpoint of the season, the Steelers would be in a position to consider a quarterback change if not before,” Werder said. “Wilson just holds the ball so long… I think Wilson proved last year he can still win games and perform well and avoid turnovers, which is a big question. But I don’t think he’s gonna last behind that offensive line.”
Earlier in his career, Wilson had the athleticism to get out of the pocket and make plays on the run. However, he’s 35 and will turn 36 during the 2024 NFL season. That athleticism isn’t the same as when he won a Super Bowl and made a second one with the Seattle Seahawks.
And if the Steelers can’t get the offensive line protecting well in 2024, Wilson might simply run out of time as the team’s starter.
