After what felt like an eternity, Justin Fields has finally been traded.
The Chicago Bears sent Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, opening the door for them to take Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.
The Steelers now have to determine which of their recently acquired quarterbacks to start this season, as Russell Wilson and Justin Fields each have experience in a starting role.
One NFL insider said that the Steelers have already made a decision, even before Fields has entered the building.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, a source close to the team says “Russ is the starter.”
This aligns with what head coach Mike Tomlin reportedly told Kenny Pickett before the team decided to trade him to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday.
Pickett wasn’t happy with Wilson being named the de facto starter, but the Steelers appear to have a clear hierarchy at the position.
There will be no quarterback competition, and Fields will be the backup for Wilson to begin the season.
This doesn’t mean that the Steelers won’t have plans for Fields to play, or even that he won’t get to start later in the year.
Wilson has been relatively healthy in his career, but at 35 years old, injuries are a worry.
The Steelers have now taken in two quarterbacks from teams that were ready to move on.
For Russell Wilson, it’s a chance to prove that he’s still one of the best in the league after the Denver Broncos and Sean Payton gave up on him.
For Justin Fields, it’s an opportunity to learn from a Super Bowl-winning quarterback while he works on some of the issues that plagued him during his time with the Chicago Bears.