Everything has only gotten murkier for the Steelers quarterback spot. Fans of Pittsburgh want an answer at the quarterback position for now and into the future. Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were brought to the team this past offseason to try and provide stability at quarterback. It started off as a quality experiment but has fizzled out. Now no one knows where things will progress from here.
Fields started the first six games of the season for Pittsburgh as Wilson was nursing himself back from a calf injury. Fields did some good things in that time, but the club also relied heavily on their defense to win outings. He showed signs of growth in his game, but it certainly seemed like the Steelers coaching staff didn't trust him and kept him in a limited playbook.
Wilson was then turned to as Mike Tomlin made the bold decision for him to start from there on out despite a 4-2 record. For a while, it seemed like a genius choice by Tomlin as Wilson brought leadership, stability, and a spark to the Steeler's offensive attack.
As the season started to wrap up, Wilson started to play worse. The tougher the competition became, the worse he and the offense did.
Making the case for the Steelers re-signing Russell Wilson
On one hand, Tomlin seems to love Wilson and everything he brings in terms of leadership. One of Tomlin's biggest hindrances throughout his tenure has been those players that clearly struggle but Tomlin keeps them around as "one of his guys". Now that Wilson is scheduled to hit free agency once again, it seems like he could be lined up for a hefty pay raise in a weak free agency class.
According to Spotrac's website, they project Wilson to receive a 2-year 77.46-million-dollar deal. That equates to roughly $38.7 million bucks per season. Wilson has brought a sense of calmness and leadership to the offense, which they have sorely missed since Ben Roethlisberger. With that being said, his late-season collapse is concerning. If they could get him for cheaper or on a one-year deal, then it's more palatable.
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Making the case for the Steelers re-signing Justin Fields
Many fans are turning to the new trend of wanting Justin Fields to start. Yes, he did show some glimpses of hope during his starts, but the offense was also just as poor as Wilson was doing. Not having Fields in the game plan more often with the use of his legs has also been a detriment to Pittsburgh's offensive attack down the stretch. Fields is not the fix-all fans are hoping for.
With all of those complaints out of the way, Fields would be the affordable option over Wilson. Spotrac projects him receiving a one-year deal worth 8.9 million dollars. If they think moving on from Wilson is in their best interest, then re-signing Fields is a priority. He probably wouldn't be the long-term answer but he could be a nice bridge option. Perhaps the opportunity to re-sign both Wilson and Fields isn't too far-fetched.