Steelers Mix Up Quarterback Room Before Draft
posted by Trevor Lloyd | April 2, 2024 | In SportsTo say that the Steelers have had an aggressive offseason is an understatement to say the least. With everybody in the AFC North being likely to make serious noise in the playoffs, one way or another the Steelers knew that they had to upgrade. The position they chose to upgrade was the most important position of all: quarterbacks.
On March 11, it was announced that free agent quarterback Russell Wilson would be donning the black and yellow uniform in a one-year $2 million deal.
This was a big deal in the eyes of Steeler fans, as many felt that inconsistent quarterback play throughout last season was the team’s biggest problem. Wilson had a very solid statistical year with the Broncos, but things ended badly in the mile high with Wilson having a public fallout with Denver head Coach Sean Payton for trading third-year starter Kenny Pickett.
Pickett struggled last year with a combination of up-and-down play and injuries. Things got so rough for Pickett that the team chose to keep him on the sidelines for their final game of the season, the team’s wildcard playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Some thought that Wilson would start during the season and mentor Pickett, similar to the original plan the New York Jets had with their quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Zack Wilson. However, that is not what played out as the team shocked everyone when the team traded Pickett on March 16 to the Philadelphia Eagles for two seventh round picks and a third-round pick.
This caused many fans to question what the team’s long-term answer at quarterback would be when Wilson’s contract is up at the end of the year. The team in black and yellow answered that question the following day when they acquired Justin Fields for a sixth-round pick from the Chicago Bears. Fields, a first-round pick from the 2021 draft has been on the trading block since the year ended, due to the Bears having the first overall pick thanks to the team’s trade with the Carolina Panthers last year.
Now they have their season veteran starter in Wilson and have a potential successor in Fields. This is a major step as both Wilson and Fields get the fresh starts that both are very much needed, and the Steelers get their short-term and long-term answer at the quarterback position.
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