Despite declarations, Justin Fields will have an opportunity to prove himself
The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled on offense throughout the season. They made the playoffs as a Wild Card team last year, but the formula they used was quite unusual. They would regularly fail to put points on the board through the first three quarters while depending on their defense to hold the opponents in check. Mike Tomlin’s team would find their offense in the fourth quarter, and that was enough to help them get to the postseason.
Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett had a difficult time leading the offense, and the Steelers really didn’t get consistent offensive production until Pickett got hurt and Mason Rudolph was inserted into the lineup. It appeared that Pickett and Rudolph might battle for the starting job in 2024, but Rudolph signed a free-agent contract with the Tennessee Titans (1 year, $2.87 million) and Pickett was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Steelers wasted no time in acquiring quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to upgrade the roster. Tomlin said Wilson would be the starter in the upcoming season while Fields would serve as the backup.
Tomlin explained that a quarterback with Wilson’s experience — 10 years with the Seattle Seahawks and 2 years with the Denver Broncos — has a lot to offer as well as proven skills at the position. Fields is coming off 3 seasons with the Chicago Bears, and while he demonstrated incredible athletic ability due to his running ability and arm strength, his lack of consistency has been a major issue.
Wilson labeled as offseason starter, but …
Wilson will man the No. 1 spot on the depth chart throughout the offseason work the team does and most likely into training camp. However, Fields will get his opportunities to show off his skills and opportunities. Tomlin has said that Fields will not be shortchanged and he will be able to compete.
An NFL executive was recently reported saying that there are no guarantees. If Fields outplays Wilson by a significant manner and earns the QB1 position, the Steelers would not necessarily have to keep Wilson’s spot on the roster.
Neither Wilson nor Fields is being paid at a premium rate by the Steelers. Wilson signed a 1-year contract that will pay him $1.21 million in 2024, while Fields is in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract that will pay him slightly more than $1.6 million this season.
As a result, the Steelers have freedom to do what they want at the position. If either quarterback is badly outplayed by the other and Tomlin senses that having an unhappy quarterback on the roster will cause problems, the Steelers can make any move they want.
Ideally, the two will work well together and they will support each other, but there are no guarantees even though both men understand their status at this point in their careers.
