The Pittsburgh Steelers have made it clear they’re choosing between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Based on their list of QB options, re-signing one of them makes the most sense. But the Steelers have yet to detail which player they’re leaning toward and the criteria for how they’ll choose. According to new reporting, the Steelers remains undecided at QB and money could serve as tiebreaker.
Updating the Steelers’ ongoing quarterback saga Wednesday morning, ESPN reporter Dan Graziano doesn’t think there’s a consensus inside the team.
“I think it’s too soon to know,” Graziano said on SportsCenter. “There are people in that building that like Russell Wilson. There are people in that building that would like to try it with Justin Fields. And a lot of it could come down to the contract and how much interest these guys might be able to get elsewhere.”
Publicly, the Steelers seem no closer to a QB answer than they were immediately following their historic five-game collapse that included their Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens. That split evidently remains despite the organization reportedly meeting all last week to chart its offseason course.
It’s important to note the choice isn’t fully in the Steelers’ control. Fields and Wilson are pending unrestricted free agents and have the ability to reject any offer from Pittsburgh. The Steelers aren’t poised to use the franchise tag, limiting their leverage over retaining either.
Determining which player is cheaper is difficult. Media projections give Wilson more value than Fields. But other reporting indicates Fields will have a more robust free agent market than Wilson, theoretically driving up Fields’ price tag. Structure of a deal will also be key, especially for the 36-year-old Wilson.
As Khan noted, it’s ideal for the Steelers to have clarity and an answer at QB before the start of the new league year. That will shape the type of receivers and playmakers the team seeks out as well as make Pittsburgh a more attractive place for outside free agents. No one wants to sign up for a team without knowing who the quarterback will be.
So far, all the team has done is talk in theoretical. Who they would like to re-sign. When they would prefer to do it. Soon enough, these hopes have to turn into action so the rest of the team’s decisions can fall into place.
