Is the Steelers’ 2025 starting quarterback currently on the roster?
Although the Steelers don’t have Russell Wilson or Justin Fields under contract for next season, they are still on the team until the start of the new league year. Given how the Steelers ended their season, it does beg some questions. The most pressing of said questions is simple: are either fit to start on a contending team?
Because that’s what the Steelers intend to be, even if they didn’t always look competitive in 2024. They did go 4-2 with Justin Fields and started out well enough with Russell Wilson. Things came to a screeching halt, and it’s hard to narrow down precisely why. Sure, they faced a higher level of competition, had some injuries, etc. But that was a collapse to remember, for sure.
The Steelers knew that they were taking chances on Wilson and Fields and did so at considerable discounts. They didn’t have to pay either of them much, and Fields only cost them a sixth-round pick via trade.
With the way the season ended, do the Steelers still believe in Russell Wilson? They can’t answer this question in a vacuum, because it also hinges upon the available alternatives. This isn’t exactly a robust quarterback class, either in free agency or in the draft.
The reality is Wilson and Fields will be two of the biggest names available—if the Steelers choose to make them available. The sense is that they traded for Fields not only because they needed a backup but because they wanted to take the time to develop him.
Could it be that they believe Fields is the one who has what it takes—or at least enough to give it a real shot? After all, he worked as a backup throughout the spring, though of course he got plenty of work with the Steelers first-team offense due to injury in training camp. He didn’t do anything particularly horrible during his six-game starting stretch and even showed some improvement. But the Steelers owe it to themselves, at the very least, to explore every avenue available to them.
The Steelers’ 2024 season has come to its predictably inauspicious end, with yet another one-and-done postseason for HC Mike Tomlin. The offense faltered, and the defensed matched it blow for blow, leading to a 21-0 first-half deficit.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. Do they still believe in Russell Wilson, and/or Justin Fields, or do they want another solution? There are other major decisions to make, as well, such as what to do with George Pickens. Do you sign him to an extension, try to trade him, or let him play out his rookie contract?
The Steelers started the 2024 season 10-3, with Mike Tomlin in the Coach of the Year conversation. Wash, rinse, and repeat, and we have another late-season collapse. This may be the worst yet, a four-game losing streak presaging a one-and-done playoff “run”. Welcome to Steelers football.
