Most of the offseason was spent assuming that Russell Wilson would be the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to some local beat reporters, that job was never really at risk, even while Wilson sat out most of training camp with a calf injury.
The Athletic’s NFL insider, Dianna Russini, posted an around-the-league update this morning and seems to think his job is very much at risk, especially given his latest injury concern.
“The veteran quarterback, who won the starting job in Pittsburgh, is expected to miss the season opener in Atlanta,” Russini wrote via The Athletic. “Justin Fields would step in. That is not a significant issue for the Steelers’ offense — some in the building could have gone either way with the QB competition. Coach Mike Tomlin decided to let the veteran get the first crack.”
When Tomlin announced the starting quarterback last Wednesday, he called it a difficult decision. But with Wilson’s latest injury, the decision is effectively being made for him.
We will see later today, or possibly 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday, whether Wilson is healthy enough to play. Russini is reporting that he is not expected to play, but other reports have stated he will have a chance during Saturday’s walk-through. If it’s still unclear on Saturday, that decision could lead to a pre-game evaluation on Sunday.
However, what is more interesting in Russini’s report is what this could mean moving forward once Wilson is ultimately healthy enough to return.
“Fields got reps with the starters at Friday’s practice and saw time with the starting offense over the summer during a very physical camp,” Russini wrote. “There’s a chance he doesn’t relinquish the job even after Wilson is deemed healthy enough to return.”
Again, this largely conflicts with what many of the local beat reporters have been saying about it being Wilson’s job all along, and he will get a lengthy leash as the starter. What we do know is that multiple sources have now reported that there were people within the Steelers’ organization who were pushing for Fields to win the job.
Wilson may give them the better chance in 2024, and the Steelers are always locked in on the present. The future takes a back seat. But it would make a whole lot of sense—if they like Fields enough—to roll with him as the franchise’s possible future.
Fields is a decade younger than Wilson and just entering what should be his prime of experience and peak athletic form. Wilson is on the back nine of his career and looking to bounce back after a couple of tough seasons in Denver. Both quarterbacks were acquired for cheap, so there are no financial ramifications that would get in the way of the decision-making process.
The only thing to consider is that Fields’ conditional sixth-round pick could become a fourth-round pick if he plays over half of the Steelers’ total regular season snaps.
On the other hand, Wilson was voted a team captain and there could be some awkward dynamics if that is the route they ultimately take. All this is because of a weighted sled during the conditioning test at the start of training camp.
