Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson will be active for the first time all season, serving as Justin Fields’ immediate backup for today’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Strongly hinted at by Mike Tomlin Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero confirmed the news Sunday morning. And noted Wilson might not be the No. 2 for long.
“For the first time Russell Wilson will be active as their No. 2 quarterback,” Pelissero said Sunday morning. “With Justin Fields, he is beloved in that locker room…Still, there remains a feeling we’ll see Wilson at some point in the coming weeks. Especially with the calf being healed for awhile now.”
It’s worth noting Pelissero says Wilson has been healthy “for awhile,” tracking with the Gerry Dulac’s report that Wilson was cleared two weeks ago. The team was just uber-cautious given and had the luxury of patience with Fields playing well and the Steelers beginning the season 3-0. But a two-game losing streak has stirred up conversation over who should start the rest of the way. A third-straight loss today against an inferior Las Vegas Raiders’ roster could vault Wilson back into starter status.
In his weekly interview with Steelers.com’s Bob Labriola, Tomlin said he saw what he needed to see from Wilson this week.
“I was really comfortable with what I saw there…And I thought it was a really good week from that perspective,” Tomlin said of Wilson’s movement and building rapport with his receivers.
Wilson fully practiced all three days this week, working with the second-team while Fields ran with the starters. Tomlin cited rust as the reason why Wilson is the backup but it feels like he’ll have to make a decision next week ahead of the team’s game against the New York Jets. How Fields performs today against the Raiders could heavily influence his decision.
Even if remains the backup, Pelissero doesn’t see the Steelers in a hurry to ship him out of town.
“There have been no trade talks surrounding Russell Wilson. I don’t get the sense there would be an appetite to trade him even if the phone rings.”
For Pittsburgh, that’s sensible, seeing the value in having a top backup option in Wilson should Fields struggle or get injured. With Wilson, the Steelers’ season outlook wouldn’t dramatically change. With backup Kyle Allen, few would believe the team could win a playoff game.
Still, if Wilson is announced as the permanent backup, it’s fair to wonder if he’d ask for a trade out of Pittsburgh and a chance to play elsewhere. It’s not obvious where he could go but any injuries that take place over the next several weeks could open the door.
