Steelers' Justin Fields Could Crush QB Competition And Win The Starting Job In 2024: 'He Probably Is The Guy'

The Pittsburgh Steelers might have to deal with a quarterback controversy all throughout the 2024 season. Even though Mike Tomlin previously said that Russell Wilson will enter camp as the top quarterback, Justin Fields will be breathing right down his neck, trying to force his way onto the field. They are very different in terms of experience and mindset, and that is why Wilson has been given the best chance to win the starting job. However, Fields has the higher upside and if he can reach his ceiling, the job will eventually be his. 

While appearing on NFL Network, former quarterback, David Carr brought up his case as to how Fields can end up winning the starting job over Wilson, and why he most likely will.

"I think it is a real competition because you don't know necessarily where Justin Fields is at, like where his headspace is. How does he feel coming into this thing? If we get the physical, dominant athlete that we've seen with Justin, I really believe he has some untapped potential as far as throwing the football. I think that in the Arthur Smith offense, the ability of [Russell Wilson], the experience, I don't know if it necessarily matters as much as maybe it would somewhere else on other teams. This is going to be more of an athletic competition. This is going to be, 'Can you utilize the run game, make some dynamic plays outside the pocket?' Russ is clearly capable of that, but Justin Fields, as we've seen, is on another level at times, so if Arthur Smith can get something out of him, he probably is the guy."

Fields definitely has some untapped potential that he struggled to show with the Chicago Bears. They traded two first-round picks for him because of his ability to be a true dual-threat quarterback. The Steelers are hoping they can unlock that ability and turn him into the franchise quarterback that the Bears thought they were drafting back in 2021. 

Why Would The Steelers Pick Wilson Over Fields?

Even if the Steelers stick with Wilson, they will give Fields every opportunity to develop and unlock his true potential behind Wilson. He is obviously the more talented quarterback, but Wilson has much more experience. He has gone through higher highs and lower lows than Fields. The Steelers know what they're getting with Wilson, and that's why they're comfortable giving him the starting role to begin the season.

Fields is the wild card in this scenario. There are still many questions about his abilities in his fourth year in the league. Can Arthur Smith fix him and turn him into the multi-talented gem that can torch defenses in multiple ways? Or has his development already been ruined? Can he be that top quarterback option, or will he just be a journeyman backup for the rest of his career? 

The Steelers are expected to continue utilizing a run-first offense, so neither Fields nor Wilson will be expected to carry this team into the playoffs. Fields can add an extra dimension to the run game with option plays and designed quarterback runs. That helps to give him an edge over Wilson, but if he can't develop as a passer, then it won't matter -- especially with the Steelers seemingly being opposed to using Fields as a wildcat option. 

Either way, Fields and Wilson will both have a chance to win the starting job with their skillsets. If Fields can fix his mechanics and develop as a passer, he will become the starting quarterback soon enough. He has the physical aspect of the game as Carr mentioned, but will he be able to translate that to an in-game scenario? We will find out soon enough.