Through two games, Justin Fields has looked like a quality starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He hasn’t been outstanding, but he’s had moments that make it seem like he should hold on to the job even after Russell Wilson is healthy. However, Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter still thinks Wilson is a better option than Fields.
“I prefer [Fields] to be the backup,” Carter said Tuesday on the Stephen A. Smith Show. “Russ [Wilson], because of his ability to pass the football, especially short and intermediate, is superior to Justin Fields. It gives you more cushion, it gives you more leeway, and it also gives you a good backup in case Russ gets hurt.”
Carter, a superstar receiver with the Minnesota Vikings in the 1990s, isn’t incorrect that Fields struggles with shorter passes. The problem was less apparent in Week 2, but in Week 1, he had a tough time accurately delivering the ball on completions that should have been easy. He’s proven that he’s got an incredible deep ball, but that isn’t all it takes to make an effective quarterback.
Wilson’s best passing ability is also his deep ball, but he is probably better than Fields in the short game. However, what he doesn’t have is Fields’ athletic ability. Once upon a time, Wilson was one of the best mobile quarterbacks in the league. Those days are mostly behind him though. At this point, Fields is a far greater threat with his legs than Wilson is.
All that said, it isn’t as easy as Carter makes it seem to say Wilson is superior to Fields. They have similar skill sets, but they’re still different players. The Steelers have been a run-heavy team this year, and Fields’ rushing ability could be a better fit in Arthur Smith’s offense.
Some of Fields’ best work has been called back due to penalties, so his stats don’t really tell the whole story. He’s been a good passer, especially because he hasn’t made any crucial mistakes. If he has another good game this week, Mike Tomlin might not agree with Carter. Wilson would still make a good backup, and it would be tough to tell Fields to go the bench if he hasn’t done anything wrong.
