Entering the offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a rather large decision to make at the quarterback position between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Both are set to hit free agency after starting games for the Black and Gold during the 2024 season.
Wilson started 12 games for the Steelers last season, including one playoff game, and went 6-6, throwing for 2,752 yards and 17 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Things started out well for Wilson, as he won four straight starts and had the Steelers inside the top 10 in scoring offense, but things cratered down the stretch. The Steelers lost five straight games and the offense failed to score more than 17 points.
Fields, on the other hand, started the first six games of the year, went 4-2, and threw for 1,106 yards with five touchdowns and one interception, adding another 289 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He saw very few snaps down the stretch behind Wilson.
Entering the offseason, the quarterback position is the Steelers’ highest priority. Team owner and president Art Rooney II made it clear during his media rounds last week that the Steelers need to figure out the quarterback position. Wilson has made it clear he wants to return for 2025 and beyond. So did Fields.
But based on Rooney’s comments, it might be one or the other at the position, but unlikely to be both.
For former NFL defensive end and current ESPN radio host Chris Canty, he’d roll with Fields as the starting quarterback in 2025. Appearing on Unsportsmanlike Monday morning, Canty stated that if the ceiling for the Steelers is to go one-and-done in the playoffs with Wilson, they should just give Fields the opportunity because he has a higher ceiling.
“The question now becomes whether or not it makes sense to double down on a quarterback going into his age-37 season with a roster that’s not ready to win or retool around Justin Fields. The choice seems obvious to me. Re-sign Fields and build for the future,” Canty said, according to audio via ESPN. “The Steelers need to be honest about where they’re at. Five straight one-and-dones in the playoffs, nine seasons since their last playoff win. Not sure why they would stay the course with the quarterback that finished 26 in QBR.
“If you can go winless in the playoffs with Russell Wilson, you can do the same with a 26-year-old quarterback that has a higher ceiling long term in Justin Fields.”
During the five-game losing streak that stretched into the playoffs, Wilson struggled behind an offensive line that was a mess in pass protection. Without the threat of a consistent run game, too, things were difficult on Wilson in the passing game as teams were able to take away the moon balls, forcing Wilson to try and win over the middle of the field.
He couldn’t do it consistently. Add the report that Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith didn’t see eye to eye, and it might be a good time to move on from Wilson and roll with Fields, who reportedly has plenty of believers inside the organization.
Though Fields has played four NFL seasons and has started 44 games, giving teams plenty of time to see what he has, he still remains a tantalizing quarterback with impressive traits, including a strong arm and a dynamic ability to make plays with his legs.
At times during his six-game starting stint with the Steelers, Fields showed that off before the team — specifically head coach Mike Tomlin — made the switch to Wilson in Week 7. But now, after sitting on the bench much of the rest of the season and only seeing limited snaps in specific packages, there seems to be more questions than answers when it comes to Fields and his future.
Despite that, betting on the 26-year-old quarterback with high-end physical traits seems to be the smart money for the Steelers, rather than running it back with a 37-year-old quarterback who didn’t exactly elevate the offense when things were rough.
It’s a huge decision, one that the Steelers have a lot riding on. They need to get it right. If not, it could set the franchise back even further in the immediate future.
