ESPN’s Brooke Pryor is the latest insider to suggest that veteran Russell Wilson will enter Pittsburgh Steelers training camp above Justin Fields on the quarterback depth chart.
“Sources have indicated to ESPN that Wilson has been tabbed the starter, but plans can change,” Pryor explained in an article published on Friday. “Though Wilson said he felt like himself again during his second season [with the Denver Broncos], and his improved numbers reflect that, he’s still an aging quarterback competing against a young gun with tremendous upside.”
ESPN stats show that Wilson, who turns 36 in November, ended this past regular season ranked 21st among qualified players with a 50.7 adjusted QBR. He recorded 26 touchdown passes and eight interceptions over 15 games, passing for 3,070 yards.
To compare, Fields ended his final campaign with the Chicago Bears ranked 23rd with a 46.1 adjusted QBR. The 25-year-old tallied 16 touchdown passes, nine picks and 2,562 passing yards over 13 games.
Many, if not most, analysts expect Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin to, at the very least, give Fields a chance to compete with Wilson for the starting job from training camp through perhaps the final game of the preseason. One unnamed NFL executive thinks the Steelers could move on Wilson before Week 1 if Fields wins the gig by the end of August.
“That competition — even if informal — will be something to monitor throughout the offseason,” Pryor added about the Wilson-Fields situation. “The Steelers also have to add a center to the mix after releasing starter Mason Cole and missing out on the top free agents. Look for the team to address that position — along with offensive tackle — in the NFL draft.”
That last part is interesting, as the Steelers may prefer to have a veteran in the lineup for the early days of the season if a young center is playing at that time. Then again, Fields could build chemistry with a first-year pro during workouts and then prove to Tomlin during exhibition contests that he and not Wilson gives the Steelers the best chance to win meaningful games.
Either way, Wilson will need to be ready to compete with Fields right out of the gate regardless of what Tomlin or anybody else within the Steelers says about the matter over the next few months.
