There have been discussions surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired. After another Wild Card round exit, these discussions have only intensified. Owner Art Rooney II stated today that the Steelers do not want to bring back both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields for the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh Steelers Unlikely to Bring Back Both Quarterbacks
With the Steelers losing their last five games, and the offense not scoring 20 or more in any of those games, questions about the franchise’s future at quarterback were bound to suffice. Starting quarterback Russell Wilson and his backup Justin Fields are both unrestricted free agents. Pittsburgh always has the option to draft or sign another free-agent quarterback.
The Argument for Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson was a great game manager for the Steelers this season. This is something head coach Mike Tomlin values greatly in quarterbacks. Tomlin and the Steelers have always prided themselves on winning games with defense and special teams. If the quarterback/offense is taking care of the ball, that is huge in Tomlin’s eyes. Wilson did a great job of this as he only threw 5 interceptions while having 2,482 passing yards with 16 touchdowns this year. However, it is worth noting he only played in 11 games. All of these numbers would very likely be inflated if Wilson played a full 16 games. Wilson showed he still has a great deep ball, specifically connecting with receiver George Pickens numerous times downfield.
The Argument for Justin Fields
The main argument for Justin Fields as the Steelers quarterback is his raw talent/ability. Fields is an elite runner at quarterback, frequently showcasing his ability to avoid sacks and make defenders miss. In 2022 with the Chicago Bears, Fields’ second season in the league, he rushed for 1,143 yards. For reference, this would be the second most Lamar Jackson has had in a season in his career. The concern with Fields has always been his arm. While he has shown the ability to make any throw, consistency has been a major struggle. His completion percentage this season was 65.8 in six starts, which is his career high. Yet, this number would still put Fields in the bottom half of the league for completion percentage out of all starting quarterbacks.
What Should They Do?
It is my opinion that the Steelers should sign a different quarterback in free agency. One player that makes sense is Sam Darnold. Darnold is coming off a career year in Minnesota where he threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. However, after two very disappointing performances to end the season, Minnesota may turn to second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Granted, the Vikings are in a much better situation for a quarterback than the Steelers, but Darnold could still see success in Pittsburgh especially if the team invests in the offense around him.
Pittsburgh can also trade up high in the draft to try to select Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. These two quarterbacks are projected top 10 picks. However, the Steelers would have to give up a massive haul to move up this high, which makes this an unlikely scenario.
Between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, Fields should have a slight edge. The team went 4-2 in his six starts while going 6-6 with Wilson. Fields was on pace to have very similar numbers to Wilson through the air. However, Fields is much more dangerous with his legs. This opens up another dimension to the Steelers offense that Russell Wilson just can’t add at this stage in his career.
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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