After three weeks in the Latrobe sun, Steelers training camp wrapped up at Saint Vincent College. Immediately after putting the practice jerseys on for the fans one last time, Mike Tomlin's team headed back to Pittsburgh where they held their joint practice with the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium.
While many teams are involved in joint practices each year, this is uncommon for the Steelers -- whose last joint practice came back in 2016. Unfortunately, fans were not permitted to attend this highly-anticipated practice with the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year.
Things went extremely well for Pittsburgh's new quarterbacks from the gate. ESPN's Brooke Pryor reported Russell Wilson went three of four in seven shots against Buffalo's first-team offense, while Justin Fields was a perfect three of three.
Steelers offense beats Bills 5-2 in 7 shots.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 15, 2024
Wilson went 3/4, Fields 3/3, including a faked handoff on the first play for an easy sneak into the end zone untouched.
For a team that has struggled mightily in the red zone over the past two seasons under Matt Canada, this was the news we all wanted to hear.
Steelers quarterbacks offer hope in 2024
It's important to remember that this is practice.
These performances don't even mean as much as a preseason game. But it's a step in the right direction. Former quarterback and 2022 first-round pick, Kenny Pickett, managed just 13 passing touchdowns (17 total) during his two-year stint with the team. This simply wasn't good enough to get the job done, and the Steelers are counting on more in 2024.
Though Wilson and Fields will have to prove themselves on a new team, the combination of competent quarterback play and an improved offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith should make a substantial difference to their offense.
During the first team period against the Bills, it was Fields who earned the first set of reps at quarterback before he was replaced by Wilson.
Justin Fields took all first-team reps in the first team period, a run-heavy period. He attempted two passes, completing one to Van Jefferson on the sideline under tight coverage.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 15, 2024
Wilson took second-team reps and was 0/2, but drew a DPI on his first throw.
C Zach Frazier took…
As of Pittsburgh's joint practice with the Bills, Mike Tomlin had not named a starting quarterback for the Steelers' preseason game against Buffalo on August 17. Now going against a completely different set of defenders and practicing in-game scenarios, Tomlin should have a feel of how he would deploy his top two quarterbacks in the team's second preseason game.
Wilson and Fields will look to replicate their practice success in their exhibition contest under the lights at Acrisure Stadium. Let's see if they can give us a boost of confidence before the preseason finale.