During the offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers insisted that Russell Wilson would be their starting quarterback. They said that when they signed him after he was waived by the Denver Broncos. They said this after they acquired Justin Fields via trade from the Chicago Bears. They said that after the NFL Draftat minicamp, and at training camp. They said that when Mike Tomlin announced the Week 1 starter.
But Week 1 is here, and it might not be Wilson under center against the Falcons. That’s because he is treating a calf injury and was limited in practice on Thursday after not appearing at all on Wednesday’s injury report. If Wilson ultimately can’t deliver against Atlanta, that would, of course, push Fields into the starting lineup.
Fields had a thinner trade market that offseason than initially expected, and was eventually sent to Pittsburgh for only a conditional sixth-round pick that can become a fourth-rounder if Fields plays more than 51% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps.
He has shown throughout his career that he is one of the league’s most explosive playmakers at the position, especially in the run game, but he has also been very inconsistent as a passer, prone to taking a high volume of sacks and turning the ball over. quite often.
However, he brings more upside at this point in his career than Wilson, who will turn 36 later this season and has been in clear decline for several years. The Steelers stuck with Wilson as their starter, though, but if Fields gets a chance on Sunday and runs with it (figuratively and literally), he might be able to swing things in their favor.
