Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, there have been conversations about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation. Following yet another exit in the Wild Card round, these conversations have only grown more intense. Owner Art Rooney II declared today that the Steelers are not interested in re-signing both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields for the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh Steelers Probably Won’t Re-sign Both Quarterbacks
Given that the Steelers have lost their last five games and the offense failed to score 20 points or more in any of them, inquiries regarding the franchise’s future at the quarterback position were inevitable. Starting quarterback Russell Wilson and his reserve Justin Fields are both unrestricted free agents. Pittsburgh always has the choice to select or acquire another free-agent quarterback.
The Case for Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson served as an excellent game manager for the Steelers this year. This is an aspect that head coach Mike Tomlin highly values in quarterbacks. Tomlin and the Steelers have consistently taken pride in securing victories through their defense and special teams. If the quarterback and offense are protecting the ball, that is significant to Tomlin. Wilson excelled in this aspect, throwing only 5 interceptions while accumulating 2,482 passing yards and 16 touchdowns this season.
However, it is important to mention he participated in just 11 games. If Wilson participated in all 16 games, these figures would probably be much higher. Wilson demonstrated he still possesses an excellent deep throw, particularly linking up with receiver George Pickens multiple times on deep routes.
The Case For Justin Field
The primary reason for considering Justin Fields as the Steelers quarterback is his inherent talent/skill. Fields is a top-tier quarterback, often demonstrating his talent for evading sacks and slipping past defenders. In 2022, during his second season in the league with the Chicago Bears, Fields rushed for 1,143 yards.
This would serve as the second highest total Lamar Jackson has achieved in a season during his career. The concern regarding Fields has consistently been about his arm. Although he has demonstrated the capacity to make every throw, maintaining consistency has been a significant challenge.
His completion rate this season stood at 65.8 over six starts, marking his career best. However, this figure would still rank Fields in the lower half of the league regarding completion percentage among all starting quarterbacks.
What Actions Should They Take?
In my view, the Steelers ought to acquire another quarterback through free agency. One player that seems logical is Sam Darnold. Darnold just completed a standout season in Minnesota, passing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Nonetheless, following two extremely unsatisfactory outings to conclude the season, Minnesota might consider second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Admittedly, the Vikings have a significantly better scenario for a quarterback compared to the Steelers, yet Darnold might still thrive in Pittsburgh, particularly if the team enhances the offense surrounding him.
Pittsburgh might also move up in the draft order to attempt to pick Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. These two quarterbacks are expected to be among the top 10 selections. Nevertheless, the Steelers would need to part with a significant amount to ascend this far, rendering this an improbable situation.
Between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, Fields is likely to have a small advantage. The team achieved a record of 4-2 in his six starts, compared to 6-6 with Wilson. Fields was projected to achieve statistics comparable to Wilson’s in passing. Nonetheless, Fields poses a greater threat with his legs. This adds a new aspect to the Steelers offense that Russell Wilson simply cannot contribute to at this point in his career.
