NFL Trade Rumors: Pittsburgh Steelers May Start Quarterback Russell Wilson in Week 7

The Pittsburgh Steelers are reigniting their quarterback controversy. During his media availability on Tuesday, head coach Mike Tomlin revealed that quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will compete in practice this week to determine who will start Week 7's matchup with the New York Jets.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said this week of practice will determine who will start at quarterback Sunday against the Jets.

Tomlin: Wilson, Fields both in play to start this week https://t.co/kLH5YoTWyP
— Dale Lolley (@dlolley_pgh) October 15, 2024

Wilson and Fields were both acquired by the Steelers this past offseason, with many assuming Wilson was the favorite to earn starting duties. A preseason calf injury rendered Wilson unavailable in Week 1, and Fields seized the opportunity.

Fields has started all six of the Steelers' games this season, leading them to a 4-2 record. Though he has generally avoided turnovers, his lack of explosiveness in the passing game (5.58 net yards per passing attempt) and the running game (4.2 yards per rush) has hamstrung the Steelers offense. Their 20.7 points per game rank 20th in the league, and their 298.3 yards per game are 26th.

Wilson is no guarantee to outplay Fields. He's coming off a disappointing two-year run with the Denver Broncos, during which he averaged 198.9 net passing yards per game for an offense that scored 18.9 points per game.

Wilson and Fields have a lot of the same issues. Both have a propensity to take sacks in search of big plays and generally struggle to sustain drives. But at the very least, Wilson has shown he can be a winning quarterback in the league. In 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, he made two Super Bowls and accumulated a 104-53-1 record, all while passing for a more-than-respectable 37059 yards, 292 touchdowns, and 82 interceptions. The same can't be said for Fields, who crashed and burned to a 14-30 record with the Chicago Bears after they drafted him 11th overall in 2021.

Despite Fields' record through six games, he hasn't shown he can lead the Steelers offense beyond mediocrity. The Steelers should at least see what they have in Wilson while they remain in the playoff hunt. Even marginal improvement to their passing attack could be the difference between a Wildcard berth and a lost season.