NFL Rumors: Steelers ‘Open-Minded’ on Russell Wilson, Justin Fields QB1 Battle

Julia StumbaughAugust 3, 2024

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers are “open-minded” about the possibility that Justin Fields will beat out Russell Wilson for the starting quarterback job this fall, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

“Fields definitely has work to do to catch Wilson in the race for the starting job, but the Steelers are open-minded about his ability to do so,” Graziano wrote.

Graziano noted that the Steelers have not offered a major financial commitment to either signal caller. The team is paying Wilson a base salary of $1.21 million, while Fields is playing for $1.62 million next season.

“The important thing to keep in mind here is that the Steelers have no prior connection to either of these quarterbacks and no compelling financial commitment that would lead them to favor one over the other,” Graziano wrote. “So when they say it’s an open competition and Fields has a chance, believe them.”

Fields has been taking reps with the Steelers’ first-team offense while Wilson has been limited with a calf injury for the start of training camp, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported.

That means it’s been Fields getting reps with new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, which could be key to the Steelers getting a better understanding of his potential with the team.

Smith indicated earlier this week that the Steelers had a better feel for Wilson, who is heading into his 13th NFL season, than Fields, the 2021 first-round pick coming out of three seasons with the Chicago Bears.

“Russ is way more of a known commodity because of the years he’s had in the league, and he’s had a lot of change in the last four years and his journey,” Smith told Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein. “Justin is at such a different part of his career, but they both had big moments in this league. … You’ve got a competition going on, you get two guys fighting it out, but you’re also building the big picture. So that’s why you got to evaluate.”

That experience gave Wilson the edge in the quarterback battle shortly after the two were acquired this offseason, with head coach Mike Tomlin saying in March that Wilson “has pole position” in the quarterback race.

But Tomlin added that the Steelers were “not resistant to competition,” and that Fields would get the opportunity to prove himself in training camp.

That opportunity has been even greater than initially expected with Wilson sidelined with a calf injury. The veteran quarterback has not yet gone through a full practice during training camp, per NBC Sports’ Josh Alper, so the Steelers may need to wait until Wilson returns in full capacity to evaluate which quarterback will be the better fit in Smith’s offense.