ESPN Names Steelers Position Battle To Watch In Training Camp

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the 2024 season and have plenty of positional questions left to answer.

After finishing the 2023 season with a 10-7 record and losing in the NFL Wild Card Round to the Buffalo Bills, the Steelers are looking to put together a contender.

The necessary changes were made in the offseason to shake things up. Head coach Mike Tomlin has a new quarterback room with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields both joining the team, replacing the struggling trio of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph from last season.

It’s been one of the main talking points heading into the 2024 campaign, as both Wilson and Fields can start. While all expectations have Wilson set to be the starter come Week 1, an injury to his calf has shaken things up with the first preseason game around the corner.

ESPN’s Brooke Pryor believes this is more of a battle than originally thought. She writes that the quarterback position is the top position battle in Steelers training camp. While Pryor still expects Wilson to start, Fields at least has a shot to start the first game of the regular season.

“Though Russell Wilson entered training camp in ‘pole position’ and it appeared starting quarterback would be his job to lose, Wilson’s conditioning test calf injury makes things interesting for the Steelers,” Pryor wrote in ESPN’s position battles for each team article. “With Wilson slowly ramping up, Justin Fields has taken nearly all of the first-team reps, and his best practice came in the team’s first padded practice Tuesday where he completed every pass attempt. Not only did he connect with George Pickens for a one-handed touchdown grab, but he also showed off his wheels in a couple of designed runs in that practice. Wilson is still likely in the lead for the job, but if Fields can make routine — and splash — plays consistently, this might be more of a competition than it initially appeared.”

Fields will have his chance to earn the starting job when he likely takes the field for the preseason opener. Pittsburgh will kick off the preseason Friday at 7 p.m. EST when they take on the Houston Texans.

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