The Pittsburgh Steelers went from having a quarterback room that consisted of Kenny Pickett by himself to one without Pickett, but including Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. The Pickett era for the Steelers came to a disappointing ending as he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, but there is excitement over the new direction of the position group. While Wilson will come into 2024 training camp as the Steelers' starting quarterback, that doesn't mean they won't be able to find creative ways to get Fields included as well.
Wilson and Fields are at very different ends of the NFL spectrum. Wilson, the former quarterback for the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, has Super Bowl experience and will be entering his 13th NFL season. Fields, on the other hand, is only 25 years old and coming into his fourth professional year. Despite the differences in where they are in their NFL careers, the Steelers could look to their own franchise experience to figure out a way to utilize both Wilson and Fields—perhaps at the same time.
Mike Florio of NFL on NBC spoke on Saturday about the Steelers acquiring Fields and what it could mean for the team and its two new quarterbacks. Florio believes the answer lies in how the Steelers handled then-rookie Kordell Stewart during the 1995 season. The player that everyone got to know as Slash needed some creativity from his coaches to get him onto the field, and it ended up working.
"I think back twenty years -- thirty years...to 1995. Kordell Stewart; a rookie, Slash. Neil O'Donnell, the starter. Kordell Stewart comes in from time to time, plays a little receiver, plays a little quarterback... What about Justin Fields in specialty packages, just like they used Kordell Stewart back in 1995? Talk about something to put stress on a defense. We know what Justin Fields can do with the ball in his hands. We know that he's one of the most dangerous running quarterbacks in the NFL. Will they [Steelers] start using him in different ways? They've made this investment...I think they'll find a way to use him. I think that we'll see maybe both guys on the field at the same time. Either way, it gives new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith a lot of things he can do...This is fascinating for the Steelers."
Arthur Smith will have plenty of options on the table as he is tasked with rebuilding a Steelers' offense that has been among the least impressive in the NFL. Granted, anything more than failure could be seen as an upgrade from Matt Canada, but if Smith can get Wilson and Fields working together, it could be a fun 2024 in Pittsburgh.
Steelers Offense Could Scare Defenses, Says Todd Haley
Todd Haley was the Steelers' offensive coordinator from 2012 to 2017. Despite having the trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown, Haley could never get the Steelers back to winning championships. Regardless of his challenges during his time in Pittsburgh, Haley believes that the combination of Fields and Wilson could be the difference that gets the Steelers to that next level.
The Steelers are no strangers to bringing gimmicks into their offense. The trickery during their 2005 championship run still brings deep emotions back for any Steelers' fan, but will they be able to find that same magic in 2024? The goal for Fields is to sit and learn from Wilson, but that doesn't mean they can't create specific packages for him to run.
Between the dangerous potential that Wilson and Fields present and the rushing attack led by Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, the Steelers will have all the tools necessary to bring a bruising, scary identity to every game they play. When you add in the talent in the receiver room and the grit being brought into the trenches, the Steelers are poised to shed their offensive struggles. With a season mostly hampered by Pickett, Canada, and far too many injuries, the Steelers still earned a Wild Card game in 2023. With a competent offensive strategy, the Steelers have much loftier ambitions for 2024 and beyond.
Who should the Steelers draft with their 2024 first-round pick?
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