Steelers OC Arthur Smith sheds light on Russell Wilson's QB competition with Justin Fields - "Russ is in the pole position"
Will it be Russell Wilson or Justin Fields who starts at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season? After the Steelers got rid of quarterbacks Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph this off-season, they added Wilson and Fields.
Wilson signed a veteran minimum contract with the Steelers after the Denver Broncos released him. Meanwhile, Fields was acquired via trade with the Chicago Bears who were shopping for him.
While Wilson and Fields will compete for the starting job, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said Wilson "is in the pole position" to be the starter:
"It's a competition. Obviously, we get to Latrobe, I'm sure things will heat up, but both those guys knew that, however they were acquired, and they got here and I think it's been pretty transparent."
It makes sense if the Steelers go with Wilson. He's more experienced and can provide more of a presence with veteran leadership. He's played in 18 playoff games and has won a Super Bowl.
Nothing is set in stone, and the two will battle for the starting spot.
Will either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields be Pittsburgh Steelers long-term quarterback?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking for their long-term quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
The team thought backup quarterback Mason Rudolph could succeed him, but the team picked Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. The team also signed Mitch Trubisky in 2022.
Fast forward to 2024, and the Steelers no longer have any of those three quarterbacks. They placed a big emphasis on adding a few quarterbacks this off-season and did exactly that. The question is, will either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields be their long-term quarterback?
Wilson, 35, is entering the 13th season of his NFL career. He struggled two seasons ago with the Denver Broncos. His last playoff victory came in 2020.
Fields, who seems to be in the backseat of the quarterback competition, was a former first-round pick by the Chicago Bears. Fields has a 10-28 season with the Chicago Bears in three seasons, although he played much better than the record showed.
The solution to their long-term quarterback answer is tricky, with Wilson and Fields set to become free agents next off-season.
However, if either of the two starts for most of the season and leads Pittsburgh to a playoff run, Mike Tomlin and the team could extend that quarterback. There's also a good chance that the team looks for a younger, new quarterback in next year's draft.
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