Apparently, the starting quarterback role for the Pittsburgh Steelers is Russell Wilson’s to lose.
The former Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos starter is atop the QB group in the team’s first official training camp depth chart, with former Chicago Bears starter Justin Fields behind him. Veteran backup Kyle Allen and undrafted rookie John Rhys Plumlee fill the remaining spots.
It’s not a huge surprise to see Wilson at the top of the depth chart given his decade-plus experience as a starter. The Steelers signed him to a one-year deal at the veteran minimum this offseason, with the Denver Broncos still paying him millions after releasing him.
Still, with Wilson’s struggles in recent years, plus his age of 35, many expect to see a real battle for the starting quarterback position in Steelers training camp.
Fields looms as the youngest and perhaps highest-ceiling option for the Steelers, who traded a conditional sixth-round pick to the Chicago Bears in exchange for what was supposed to be the Windy City’s franchise QB. The 25-year-old was hailed as the franchise’s savior when he was drafted 11th overall in 2021, but the Bears have always seemed a step behind in his three years with the team.
The Steelers are likely hoping Fields can unlock his potential in a different environment, though they’re not all in, given how they declined his fifth-year option, making him a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. market, Pittsburgh appears to essentially be hoping that one of the failed options will have a breakout season and be eligible for an extension.
