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Steelers Certainly Have Door Open for Justin Fields
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a plan today, but nothing is set in stone tomorrow.
ORLANDO -- The Pittsburgh Steelers know who their quarterback is - for now. Head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed at the NFL League meetings that Russell Wilson is going to start in "pole position" for the QB1 job when OTAs and training camp open.
From there, it's still anyone's game. Wilson is viewed as the starter and is believed by the team to hold the veteran leadership and on-field talent to carry them through the postseason. A feat they've been looking to overcome for years.
"Certainly," Tomlin replied when asked if Wilson still has plenty left in the tank.
"Certainly."
But the NFL is a constantly changing game - ask the Steelers. A week ago, they were a team set to let Kenny Pickett compete with Wilson for the starting job. Wilson was introduced to the media, and hours later, Pickett was packing a bag and heading to Philadelphia. The next day, Fields arrived in Pittsburgh.
Tomlin doesn't know what will come with Fields just yet. He's still learning his game, and after some tough years with the Chicago Bears, it's hard to judge what a team is getting from the former first-round pick.
"I think that's to be determined, and I think that's one of the exciting components of team development, the division of labor roles and so forth, particularly when you got new and exciting talent," Tomlin said when asked what Fields brings. "Makes the process an exciting one and so I'm excited about getting to know him and his skillset and what he can do."
With both quarterbacks operating on one-year deals, the future is very up in the air for Pittsburgh. Tomlin isn't looking past this season, which makes his choice of words about Fields getting an opportunity when the time comes even more interesting.
"Rest assured, when it's time to compete, Justin will be given an opportunity to compete, and we'll allow those guys to sort themselves out, but I thought it was appropriate to describe it in a way that I described as we get started," Tomlin said. ". ... Just from my conversations with Justin, I know he's excited about working alongside Russell and maybe learning some of those veteran tricks of the trade and veteran things that he's picked up from being in this league for over a decade."
Maybe that opportunity comes when the two quarterbacks take the field in Latrobe? Maybe it comes when Fields takes over during the first preseason game. Who knows. But even if Wilson gets a leg up in the competition, it certainly doesn't sound like him being the Week 1 starter is a guarantee.
It might be close to, but nothing in this league is for certain. The Steelers are operating in a way they haven't before, and if they believe the 25-year-old with plenty of NFL playing time left is their best option, they'll go with it.
There's no obligation to start either quarterback for the Steelers. There's no money tied to them, no legacy they need to protect, and zero presence within the team they must uphold.
The decision comes down to who gives the Steelers the better shot at breaking their playoff win drought. Right now, it's Russell Wilson. Once they take the field, that could change.
