A new report indicates there’s no competition for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback job as training camp approaches.
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson and acquired Justin Fields via trade with the Chicago Bears to bolster their QB room. The three starters they used last year (Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph) all landed with new teams this offseason.
After the Fields trade, head coach Mike Tomlin stated that Wilson was the QB1. And according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, Fields hasn’t seriously challenged the 35-year-old Wilson for the starting job:
“Can Justin Fields make this a competition?
Because right now, it’s not.Wilson has taken the overwhelming majority of meaningful reps, including on the final day of minicamp, when almost every veteran took off on what felt like the last day of school. Really, it’s hard to argue with this decision right now because Wilson has clearly been the better quarterback and has begun to take hold of the leadership aspects of the position.”
Wilson had a miserable first season with the Denver Broncos in 2022, but he rebounded with a stellar stat line of 3,070 yards and 26 touchdowns against only nine interceptions in 15 games. Wilson had the Broncos in playoff contention before he was benched for the final two games of 2023 (because of a refusal to change the injury guarantees in his contract).
Russell Wilson rankings while passing 20+ yards downfield off play action in 2023 (min. 10 attempts)
-1st in average throw depth
-3rd in on target %
-5th in IQR
-6th in passer rating
-0 interceptionsHe’ll fit Arthur Smith’s offense like a glove. pic.twitter.com/uj50MlV8uB
— Jarrett Bailey (@JBaileyNFL) June 20, 2024
The Broncos decided to release Wilson anyway, taking on $85 million in dead money for the next two seasons. The Pittsburgh Steelers quickly scooped up Wilson on a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum, making this a no-risk signing that could carry a potentially high reward.
Pittsburgh Steelers Open 2024 vs. Falcons
The Pittsburgh Steelers will open their season with a juicy Week 1 road contest against the Falcons in Kirk Cousins’ debut with Atlanta.
Wilson and Cousins had their fair share of memorable showdowns during their tenures with the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings, respectively. Wilson usually had his way with the Vikings, though Cousins won his last matchup against the Seahawks legend in Week 3 of the 2021 season.
After visiting Atlanta, the Steelers will travel to Denver to visit Wilson’s old team in the Broncos. And yes, it’ll be interesting to see how Broncos fans greet Wilson in his return, considering the departure wasn’t his call.
