If Russell Wilson was the unquestioned starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers as many have been led to believe this year, then why is he not starting over Justin Fields now that he's off the injury report and fully healthy for Week 6?
The Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin announced that the former Denver Broncos starting quarterback is going to be the #2 quarterback behind Justin Fields on Sunday, even though he's now off the injury report with a calf issue that has plagued him since the start of training camp.
Now, it's being reported by Dianna Russini that Justin Fields has made it nearly "impossible" for Wilson to reclaim the top spot atop the depth chart for the Steelers. If it was ever truly his to begin with...
Russell Wilson facing "impossible" task of unseating Justin Fields with Steelers
Obviously, there are many Denver Broncos fans who are interested to know what is going on with Russell Wilson, which is why we are continuing our coverage of his NFL career beyond Denver. It may feel like piling on Russ at this point, but we're just reacting to what's being put out there.
Wilson's time with the Broncos did not end well as he was benched for the final two games last season and you can't help but wonder...Barring injury, was that fateful loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Eve last year the last time Russell Wilson will start a game in the NFL? Again, barring injury, that feels like a distinct possibility at this point.
Wilson has been the Steelers' emergency third quarterback to begin this season, but Justin Fields has obviously shown enough in the first five games that he's going to be in the driver's seat for keeping that job moving forward.
In hindsight, it's pretty revealing that the Steelers not only traded for Field after acquiring Russell Wilson in the first place, but thinking back to the fact that Pittsburgh only signed Wilson to a one-year deal worth the absolute veteran minimum is also telling of what they felt about him as a potential longer-term option.
Wilson has been at his best in the NFL when he's able to use his mobility to avoid pressure and make plays on the run. Limiting himself to strictly working from the pocket or working more from the pocket resulted in a much higher sack rate in Denver (100 sacks in two seasons). Although Justin Fields also takes his share of sacks, Fields is a much more explosive athlete at this point and has arguably the same proverbial "floor" when it comes to his passing abilities right now.
This report from Russini is just overall bad news for Wilson after the unceremonious end to his career in Denver.
