The Steelers have been unable to find their answer under center since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement two years ago. They swung big and missed on Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft and neither Mitchell Trubisky nor Mason Rudolph were long-term answers at quarterback.
This offseason, Pittsburgh opted for a pair of low-risk, high-reward options: Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. A rival scout commended the Steelers for those acquisitions.
“Bold moves in Pittsburgh as they shook things up at quarterback in a surprising way,” the scout said. “Russell Wilson can still play, but he wasn’t a good fit in Denver. Trading for Justin Fields is an intriguing move. The Steelers can groom him and coach him up behind Wilson.”
These comments were made as part of the exclusive Steelers scouting report in the Athlon Sports 2024 Preview magazine, which is now available on newsstands.
Wilson, a 12-year veteran with two Super Bowl appearances (one win) on his resume, is the presumptive starter even after his disastrous Broncos tenure in which he went 11–19 as the starter and took a whopping 90 sacks. Denver cut Wilson in March and took on an $85 million dead cap charge as a result. He subsequently signed with Pittsburgh for $1.21 million, the veteran’s minimum.
The scout said they could see the 35-year-old Wilson having “something of a career renaissance with a change of scenery.”
Fields was also acquired at a reduced cost. The Steelers sent the Bears a conditional sixth-round pick for Fields, the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft. Fields, who showed flashes in Chicago despite his 10–28 record as the starter, was dealt before the Bears selected quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.
“This takes the pressure off of him,” the scout said of Fields. “They should find a way to get him on the field in some capacity to take advantage of his athleticism.”
Like Wilson, Fields takes an inordinate amount of sacks. However, he is one of three quarterbacks to ever rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.
Pittsburgh spent its last two first-round picks on offensive linemen — right tackle Broderick Jones in 2023 and left tackle Tory Fautanu in 2024 — an investment the scout said is “starting to come together.”
The Steelers also drafted receiver Roman Wilson in the second round, signed Van Jefferson and return the dynamic running back duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.
As for the defense, there are playmakers at every level from edge rusher T.J. Watt to linebacker Patrick Queen (an offseason free-agent signing from the rival Ravens) to safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Mike Tomlin has never endured a losing season in 17 years as head coach in Pittsburgh. His new quarterback duo figures to be an upgrade over what the Steelers have trotted out in recent years and raise both the floor and ceiling of this team. As for Wilson and Fields, this is a potential turning point in their respective careers.
