Justin Fields is reportedly struggling in 7-on-7 drills for the Pittsburgh Steelers
It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers have made their decision on who will start at quarterback this season. The newest report from Mike DeFabo of ‘The Athletic’ reiterates that Justin Fields is planted firmly behind Russell Wilson on the Steelers’ depth chart.
Wilson was signed by the Steelers this past offseason after two underwhelming seasons in Denver. Prior to that, Wilson spent 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks where he won a Super Bowl and was selected to nine Pro Bowls. Wilson was signed by Pittsburgh to be their starter from day one.
Justin Fields was brought in to backup Russell Wilson
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as Pittsburgh brought in Wilson to be their starter after the Kenny Pickett experiment failed. When Justin Fields was traded to Pittsburgh by the Chicago Bears this past offseason, the notion remained that Wilson would still be the starter. Head coach Mike Tomlin stated that Wilson had the “pole position” for the starting job, but also left the door open for competition.
However, during OTAs and minicamp Wilson seemingly put any notion of a quarterback competition to rest. The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo explained why Wilson has the upper hand.
DeFabo added that there doesn’t seem to be much of a competition at quarterback at this time, noting that Wilson “has taken the overwhelming majority of meaningful reps, including on the final day of minicamp, when almost every veteran took off.” He also said Fields “doesn’t often shine in seven-on-seven situations,” which isn’t a great endorsement for him with training camp a month away.
Both Wilson and Fields are in career-rebuilding mode after flaming out at their previous stops. Neither is going particularly high in fantasy drafts, with Wilson currently going outside of the top 24 in most best ball drafts. Fields’ rushing ability makes him a potentially high-upside fantasy stash whenever he gets a chance to start, but it sounds like Wilson has a good grip on the job heading into training camp.
Fields’ struggles have followed him to Pittsburgh
DeFabo also mentioned Fields dealing with some of the same issues that plagued him in Chicago, such as inaccuracy and not always processing the game quickly enough. Preseason games will provide an opportunity for Fields to use his legs more and show off his superb running ability, according to DeFabo.
Fields’ ability to run has always been his biggest strength, and in turn, one of his biggest drawbacks. He has often resorted to his legs after abandoning his reads too soon. This all goes back to his ability to process what he is seeing on the field quickly. There were numerous wide-open receivers he never even saw last year while playing in Chicago. If he doesn’t grow in this area and learn to be a pocket passer, his ceiling as a quarterback will be capped.
Barring injury or a massive shift of events, Justin Fields will be backing up Russell Wilson this season. He’ll likely have some special plays designed for him on offense, but for now this is Wilson’s team. Although Bears fans are mostly fond of Fields, many feel justified in their approval of his departure after seeing his struggles continue in Pittsburgh. Regardless of where Fields is on the depth chart, the Chicago Bears have turned the page on that chapter. Their focus now is on the future with Caleb Williams.
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