The Pittsburgh Steelers are officially conducting a preseason quarterback competition.
While Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has maintained throughout the offseason that Russell Wilson is in “pole position” to serve as Pittsburgh’s starting QB, Justin Fields will get his chance.
Asked Wednesday whether Wilson was still in the lead for the Steelers’ QB1 job, Tomlin said, “You guys saw the depth chart I released yesterday. That is real.”
Wilson (calf) was still listed as the starter on Pittsburgh’s unofficial depth chart but will not play when the Steelers face the Houston Texans on Friday night. Tomlin said Fields and Pittsburgh’s starting offense would likely play “a couple series” in preseason Week 1.
Are the Steelers better off rolling with Wilson or Fields in 2024? Let’s make the case for each potential Pittsburgh starting quarterback.
Steelers QB Competition | The Case For Russell Wilson
1) Veteran Deference
Things seem to be changing quickly in Pittsburgh, but as of last week, Tomlin was still referring to Wilson as the favorite for QB1 duties.
“I think I’ve been pretty consistent in my position there,” Tomlin told FanDuel’s Kay Adams. “I’ve characterized it as pole position for Russell. And the reason I have is certainly they are competing, but I don’t overly concern ourselves with being fair. There’s no such thing as 50-50. And so we just pay respect to the totality of his résumé and his experience.”
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The Steelers are an old-school franchise, and Tomlin is an old-school coach. No one will be surprised if he chooses the Super Bowl winner and nine-time Pro Bowler over Fields.
2) Wilson Is the More Productive Passer
We’ll dive into how Wilson and Fields compare within the Steelers’ new offensive scheme shortly, but from a pure passing perspective, Wilson is still the much better quarterback.
Over the last three years, Wilson ranks 13th in passer rating and 17th in adjusted net yards per attempt. Fields ranks 28th and 29th, respectively.
You might think it’s unfair to include Fields’ 2021 rookie campaign (when he was still learning the pro game). Or maybe you believe Wilson truly hit the wall upon joining the Denver Broncos in 2022.
That’s fair — so let’s limit the pair’s passing production to the past two years. Wilson still leads Fields, although the gap isn’t as wide.
3) Is Russ a Better Fit For Steelers OC Arthur Smith?
On paper, neither Wilson nor Fields might be a perfect schematic fit for what first-year Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith wants to do.
Smith was maligned as the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach over the last three seasons, but he worked wonders as the Tennessee Titans’ OC in 2019 and 2020. Ryan Tannehill led the NFL in passer rating and yards per attempt under Smith’s tutelage, taking home Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2019.
Tannehill did a lot of damage using two of Smith’s offensive staples: throws over the middle of the field and play-action.
According to TruMedia, Tannehill targeted the middle of the field on 50.7% of his throws in 2019, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. The former first-round pick ranked 10th in EPA per dropback and 11th in passing success rate on those throws.
Tannehill finished just ninth in play-action usage rate in 2019, but he was absolutely lethal on those attempts. He ranked first — by a wide margin — in yards per attempt, efficiency, and success rate on throws with run action.
Wilson hasn’t been productive in these same situations — but he’s been better than Fields.
Since 2021, on throws over the middle of the field, Wilson ranks 26th in EPA per dropback and 25th in success rate; Fields is 28th and 34th, respectively. It’s a similar story with play-action usage. Wilson is slightly better (23rd in efficiency) with run fakes than Fields (26th), but neither QB was setting the world on fire.
Steelers QB Competition | The Case For Justin Fields
1) Fields Is a Decade Younger, May Offer More Upside
There’s a concept about value in fantasy football: “What do you win when you win?”
If the 35-year-old Wilson — who was average to below while working under future Hall of Fame coach Sean Payton in 2023 — thrives for the Steelers next season, how does that change Pittsburgh’s long-term outlook?
Maybe the Steelers can sneak into the playoffs again. Maybe Tomlin will continue his streak of non-losing seasons.
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But Pittsburgh probably isn’t a realistic Super Bowl threat with Wilson or Fields under center. So what’s the harm in putting the 25-year-old Fields out there?
What do you win when you win? If Fields plays well in 2024, the Steelers can try to extend him. At the very least, they could franchise him, allowing themselves a long look before deciding if Fields is their franchise quarterback.
2) Rushing Ability Matters
Wilson was considered a mobile quarterback when he entered the NFL in 2012, but Fields is on an entirely different level.
Since 2021, Fields has generated more EPA on scrambles than any other quarterback except for Josh Allen, per TruMedia. He’s a punishing runner at 6’3″, 228 pounds. Fields ranks first in yards per contact per attempt and third in rush attempts per broken tackle over the past three years.
Tannehill was an athlete (you might’ve heard he played WR at Texas A&M), but Smith only used the Titans QB on 21 designed rushes over two seasons. He still generated the ninth-most among quarterbacks on those attempts.
According to TruMedia, Fields ranks just 16th in EPA per rush on designed rush attempts since 2021. Smith might better assimilate Fields into his offense’s run game than the Chicago Bears’ staff did.
3) Fields Has Momentum
Wilson injured his calf during a training camp condition test, allowing Fields to handle most of the Steelers’ first-team reps under center. He’s earned rave reviews during practices, endearing himself to teammates in the process.
It’s far too early to call the Steelers’ race. Fields could be fine without wowing against the Texans on Friday (or struggle altogether). Wilson could ramp up, return to full practices next week, and put himself right back in the thick of things.
However, if Fields shines in his opportunities this weekend, he’ll take a commanding lead in Pittsburgh’s quarterback competition.