The Pittsburgh Steelers completely overhauled the quarterback room this offseason.
Underachieving former first-round pick Kenny Pickett is now a Philadelphia Eagle, and in his place are two fascinating rookie quarterbacks potentially primed to elevate new coordinator Arthur Smith’s offense.
General Manager Omar Khan and the Steelers traded for Justin Fields, on the heels of signing Russell Wilson in free agency, landing a pair of reclamation projects in hopes that at least one will lead an offensive resurgence in the Iron City.
Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon lists the Steelers’ quarterback makeover as one of the best moves of the entire offseason across the league.
“Mason Rudolph provided a memorable spark and helped the Steelers slide into the playoffs last season,” Kenyon points out for B/R. “But the team needed a new solution under center. Kenny Pickett didn’t develop as hoped, and Rudolph has been a career backup. Pittsburgh hardly could’ve added a more cost-effective QB pairing, only paying Russell Wilson the minimum after the Denver Broncos released him and sending a conditional pick to the Bears for Justin Fields.”
While the Steelers are set to hold an open competition for the starting job this summer, there’s a legitimate possibility that Fields and Wilson each see a role this fall.
Where Things Stand with Pittsburgh Steelers’ QB Situation
Earlier this offseason, head coach Mike Tomlin offered a clue as to how the Steelers’ quarterback depth chart may take shape when the 2024 season kicks off in September.
“No, we’re not resistant to competition, but as I’ve mentioned several times of late, I just think it’s appropriate to establish positioning as we get into this thing,” Tomlin told reporters during the NFL Annual Meeting, back in March. “The term that I’ve used is Russell has pole position, and why do I use that term? Because during this time where we are not formally working, man, I just think it’s beneficial. His experience in the National Football League. His process has been honed and perfected, talking about over a 12-month calendar. It’s not only good for him, but it’s good for teams.”
Wilson, though, is coming off a disappointing two-season stretch with the Denver Broncos and lands with the Steelers after a 2023 season in which he completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards with 28 touchdowns to eight interceptions.
Meanwhile, Fields has never quite lived up to his potential as a top-15 selection in the NFL Draft while navigating multiple coaching changes and schemes through his first three seasons with the Chicago Bears.
There is a feeling inside the league that the Steelers will deploy both Wilson and Fields in different situations.
“It’s a great situation the Steelers put themselves in this year,” an AFC Scouting Director told me recently. “They upgraded significantly at the quarterback position and gave themselves two options with different skill sets. It should be a good competition, but they can use both quarterbacks if Russell gets back to close to the form he was in Seattle.
“Just imagine what Fields could do in short yardage situations,” the executive says. “Justin could be really effective near the goal line. Plus, if it just isn’t Russ’s game, Fields could open up the running game a lot more with him in there at quarterback.”
Using Fields in short-yardage situations, wildcat packages or even a package with both quarterbacks on the field at the same time, to capitalize on his mobility could be an option for the Steelers to get Fields on the field, even if he’s bested by Wilson during training camp’s quarterback competition.
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