The Pittsburgh Steelers took a chance on former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson, signing the signal caller to a one-year deal.
Wilson’s reputation has been tarnished these past two years as a member of the Denver Broncos, which saw his relationship with Sean Payton sour. However, that is all behind him, as the Steelers took a flier on the former starter.
All signs point to Wilson as the QB1 for Pittsburgh, even with the addition of Justin Fields to the team. The Fields, who will compete alongside Wilson during OTAs and training camp, was acquired by the Steelers last weekend by trade.
It might be more intricate than that, though. A source close to the NFL believes the Steelers may part ways with the 35-year-old before the season begins.
The Steelers did not make a significant investment to get the seasoned quarterback and backup Justin Fields, as Schefter noted. “There’s no commitment, obligation, loyalty to any of these guys,” Schefter stated. “Neither of them cost them any money. I even heard from an executive that they could consider cutting Russell Wilson before the season if Justin Fields performed better than him throughout training camp.”
Nothing is set in stone. We all thought Wilson would transcend the Brocnos, as did the team when they signed him to a mega contract. Two years later, we question whether Wilson can be a starting quarterback in this league.
Things move fast in the NFL, and a lot of weird stuff has happened, so maybe this NFL executive is on to something. The Steelers only signed Wilosn for one year, worth $1.2 million. In the NFL world, that’s a bargain.
Anything can happen, and the Steelers didn’t trade for Fields for no reason.
“Very little investment,” Schefter said. “…They have the luxury of letting this play out during camp and doing whatever is best for that football team.”
Regardless, Wilson is preparing to be Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback. Both Wilson and Fields have had problems with their previous clubs, therefore it will be intriguing to watch which player emerges as the starting quarterback when the initial depth charts are made public.
The Steelers may potentially try to imitate the New Orleans Saints’ dual-QB setup, which features Derek Carr and Taysom Hill. Hill would frequently enter the fray and propose an alternative run-option play.
Fields could penetrate defenses even further—much like Hill would—because he is significantly more mobile than Wilson. Even though Wilson is said to be “washed,” the Steelers have one of the best quarterback rooms in the NFL at the moment.
