We are officially entering a much different era of Pittsburgh Steelers football. This one no longer sees Kenny Pickett being groomed as the franchise quarterback but instead welcomes Russell Wilson and Justin Fields into the picture.
As the Steelers showed Saturday, they weren’t content with settling on the Super Bowl 48 winner Wilson under center. Just three days after officially signing the nine-time Pro Bowler, Pittsburgh pulled off the trade to nab Fields away from the Chicago Bears.
So, with Pickett off to the Philadelphia Eagles following Friday’s trade, what does the Steelers QB depth chart look like? And the burning question — who’s the starter between Wilson and Fields?
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Depth Chart
- Russell Wilson
- Justin Fields
There’s no one else in the room other than both newcomers.
Outside of Pickett getting dealt away, backup Mitchell Trubisky returned to the Buffalo Bills via free agency. Even Mason Rudolph wasn’t brought back after helping lead the Steelers to the playoffs, as he signed with the Tennessee Titans.
On the surface, the decision to trade for Fields comes off as a needed depth move for Pittsburgh. Wilson was the lone quarterback on the 2024 roster until the Steelers worked the trade for the 2021 first-rounder.
Wilson does indeed arrive with countless Pro Bowl credentials and a Super Bowl ring in tow. However, he was heavily criticized for his play during his run with the Denver Broncos.
After being acquired via a March 2022 trade from the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson posted back-to-back 3,000-yard seasons but went a disappointing 11-19 as the Broncos’ starter.
Fields, though, was just as harshly critiqued in Chicago. Fields endured a rough 10-28 record as a starter and never produced a 3,000-yard season, let alone a 20-touchdown campaign.
Pittsburgh still has holes to fill roster-wise. And that includes the quarterback position, with only Wilson and Fields populating the depth chart. Perhaps the Steelers turn to the late rounds of the NFL Draft in April to add an extra passer or look for one more via free agency.
But now, on to the question on the minds of NFL fans, including those who wave the Terrible Towel.
Who Is the Steelers’ Starter? Insider Revealed Early Answer
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network helped get to the bottom of who the early QB1 for the Steelers in 2024 is.
The insider revealed he received a text message from a source answering if it’s Wilson or Fields as the favorite for the top job.
That text to Pelissero read: “Russ is the starter.”
Is it a competition between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in Pittsburgh?
One source just texted: “Russ is the starter.”
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 16, 2024
Of course, a lot can change if Fields makes a strong push for the starting reins during training camp or even in preseason action. As it was, Wilson was benched toward the end of 2023 for Jarrett Stidham, although that was viewed as a salary-related move on the Broncos’ end to avoid the risk of Wilson getting injured.
But there’s one other box to check regarding Steel City’s signal-caller room: Adding depth behind Wilson and Fields. The Steelers currently have the sparsest depth at QB in terms of number of bodies at the position. They’ll have to add two players who are willing to play behind both recent acquisitions.
Still, Pittsburgh is ushering in a much different era under center, one that officially no longer involves drafting and developing a quarterback like the franchise did with Terry Bradshaw, Ben Roethlisberger, and, most recently, Pickett. The Steelers will now turn to two embattled new faces to re-energize the franchise.
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