Even if Russell Wilson starts, this won’t be the last we hear from Justin Fields

PITTSBURGH — To understand what the future holds for the Pittsburgh Steelers at quarterback, you have to look back to before the season began.

On Aug. 28, coach Mike Tomlin named Russell Wilson his starter. But with the next breath, Tomlin promised Justin Fields would have an opportunity to contribute in certain packages that showcase his outstanding mobility.

That’s important to remember now, after Tomlin said Tuesday that Wilson will be “in contention” to play and potentially start Sunday night against the New York Jets. Many viewed this as Tomlin turning away from Fields — or to put it more bluntly, benching the former Bear.

But this is far from the end for Fields. He could still claim the starting job, if not this week then later this season. Even if he doesn’t, as long as Tomlin sticks with the original plan he laid out six weeks ago, the answer to this quarterback question might be closer to “both” than any kind of benching.

When Tomlin was asked what Fields, who went 4-2 as the starter, has to improve to keep the job, he said, “Justin has been really good. We’ve been really good at times — but not to be confused as great. This is a competitive league. We’re trying to position ourselves to be that team.”

If Tomlin is expecting great, not just good, quarterback play, then Wilson should be held to the same standard. There’s no guarantee he’ll be an obvious upgrade after two tumultuous seasons in Denver. He’ll need to prove himself, especially as a passer, and as a catalyst for the offense — knowing Fields is waiting in the wings, with the benefit of extensive experience with the first-team offense.

In that way, the so-called competition that was staged during training camp might not be complete. Maybe it’s just beginning. For the first time really since OTAs, Wilson will get extended playing time with the first team. It’s also worth noting that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has heaped praise upon Fields and has found ways to get the former No. 11 pick to play his best football in the NFL.

How the Steelers manage this unique dynamic will be critical for them continuing their playoff push and, possibly, snapping the postseason win drought that dates back to 2016. The key will be to lean into each player’s strengths to spark an offense that has been inconsistent.

With Wilson, the Steelers would be getting a more polished veteran quarterback who can lean on his experience in his 13th season. Set to turn 36 in November, Wilson does not have the same mobility he had in his youth, especially as he returns from that lingering calf injury. Twice over the past five seasons, he led the league in sacks. With an injured and inexperienced offensive line, the risk of sacks setting the Steelers back is real.

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Wilson also leaned on his mobility in his younger days to extend plays and create outside of structure. The Steelers should not expect him to be this type of passer and will need to evolve the offense accordingly.

That said, Wilson still has a live arm. His trademark is his moonball, and he can still sling it. For an offense that wants to be run-first and sometimes run-second, the formula is going to be a heavy dose of ground-and-pound with the hope that Wilson can add the necessary spark through the air via well-timed, play-action deep shots.

Wilson is also a much more accurate passer. That helps with a receiving corps that has struggled to create separation and needs a quarterback willing and able to fit the ball into tight windows. Even things like checkdowns and screens should open up with Wilson behind center, as Fields has often been erratic on these throws.

Now, you could also argue that the Fields is the Steelers’ most dynamic weapon on offense. His speed and deceptiveness are like a cheat code in the red zone. His scrambling ability has saved the offensive line from several sacks. His 4.4 speed has allowed Smith to get creative with the quarterback in the running game. Each week it seems the Steelers are installing a new wrinkle to the run game as a way to feature Fields’ legs, including this week when Smith unveiled a speed option.

It might seem on the surface like the Steelers would be taking that element out of the offense if they start Wilson. However, done right, Pittsburgh could actually find ways to feature Fields as a runner even more. There is less need to protect Fields if he’s not the starting quarterback. By consistently utilizing the Fields package, the Steelers would make it more challenging to game plan against them and prepare for possible surprises in the QB run game.

Tomlin knows this. He declined to say how reps will be split up between the QBs in practice, or when he’ll decide who will start, or how the offense would change if Wilson plays.

“It remains to be seen,” he said, adding with a smile, “and I think that’s one of the cute things about this discussion.”

The best-case scenario here is that Wilson comes in, takes care of the football like he has throughout his career and adds the missing dimension through the air. Then, if the Steelers can play Fields enough, they would still have an explosive threat in the run game who can be a game-breaker in the right situations.

None of this eliminates the possibility of Fields — who, like Wilson, is in the final year of his contract — becoming the starter in the long term. Before the season, Tomlin said he was hopeful that Fields could learn from being in the same QB room as Wilson. As long as the Steelers keep Fields engaged through this process, there’s still potential for him to prove enough to be the guy next season.

It’s also not out of the realm of possibility that if the offense struggles in a game with Wilson behind center, the Steelers could pivot in-game to use more of the Fields package and produce a spark. Without ever naming Fields QB1 or formally saying he’s benching Wilson, Tomlin could simply say he felt that particular package was more effective on that day.

This situation is sure to evolve as the season continues. But nothing is off the table right now, and you can bet this isn’t the last we’ve heard from Fields.

(Photo of Russell Wilson, right, and Justin Fields: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)