NFL training camp has been underway for about two weeks now, and speculation regarding ongoing postional battles has already begun. Many have a close eye on the situation in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers have Russell Wilson and former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields competing for the starting job. While many viewed Russell Wilson as the clear cut favorite going into camp, one ESPN insider views the starting job as more of a competition than many had envisioned.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano gave his surprising prediction in an article predicting the winners of five NFL starting quarterback battles.
“It’s easy to listen to the chatter around this situation and just assume Wilson has it all sewed up, but after visiting Steelers camp and talking to people there, I am not so sure.”
Graziano also stated that while Wilson looked better than Fields in OTAs and minicamp, Fields has made up ground recently with Wilson out with an injured calf. This has allowed Fields to gain valuable first-team reps that he normally wouldn’t have gotten.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has stated that while Wilson is expected to be the starter, the job is certainly open for competition. Tomlin related it to Wilson having the “pole position” over Fields, but according to Graziano, the checkered flag hasn’t been waved just yet.
“It’s a lot more of a coin flip than most think, and I believe that part of the reason the Steelers have set Wilson up as the leader in the competition is because they believe that’s the best way to manage him. But I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Fields will show enough through camp to catch him and claim the Week 1 starting spot.”
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is one of two QBs the Steelers signed this offseason
The Steelers signed 35-year-old Russell Wilson to a one-year, $1.21 million deal this past offseason after the Kenny Pickett experiment failed. Wilson was just released this offseason by the Denver Broncos just two years into a five-year $245 million contract. Prior to Denver, Wilson had 10 successful seasons in Seattle in which he amassed a 104-53-1 record while also winning a Super Bowl.
Justin Fields was traded to the Steelers by the Chicago Bears just a day after the Wilson signing. Fields, 25, struggled to progress in Chicago as a passer after the Bears drafted him 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, he has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly with his legs. He also has a cannon for an arm, and Pittsburgh had an eye on the future when trading for him.
Justin Fields still garners attention from Bears fans
Many in Chicago have an interest in how Fields fares in Pittsburgh because of the Bears’ decision to move on from him after last season. Once it was certain that the Bears had locked up the first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, going the direction of Caleb Williams was the obvious choice.
The Bears did receive a sixth-round pick for Fields but if he meets certain playing-time criteria, the pick will turn into a fourth rounder. That’s important for the Bears.
However, there are still people who believe in Fields’ potential, which has led to the hypothetical fear that the Bears made the wrong choice. What if Fields thrives in Pittsburgh? What if Caleb Williams isn’t the answer?
These questions are the result of fans’ doubts stemming from decades of the Bears getting it wrong at quarterback. Justin Fields could very well unlock his potential in Pittsburgh, but this doesn’t mean that the Bears made the wrong choice. Caleb Williams could prove to be the franchise quarterback that fans have waited for while Fields simultaneously figures it out with the Steelers. At the end of the day, both teams could be winners in their respective choices at quarterback.
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