Sweeping changes have come to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, and it's not just at quarterback. After parting ways with Matt Canada, Pittsburgh hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator. Under Smith, the Steelers expect to lean more on their rushing attack to generate positive yardage. When he was offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, Smith built a scheme that led to Derrick Henry rushing for 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns. As the Steelers offensive coordinator, Smith will maximize the production of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. The duo combined for over 1,800 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
However, Smith's impact on shaping Pittsburgh's offense won't be limited to Harris and Warren. He'll also have input on the ongoing quarterback battle between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. In the past, Smith has talked up Fields. However, the Steelers wouldn't have acquired Wilson if Smith had not approved it. Pittsburgh has not officially decided who will be the Week 1 starter, but in the eyes of some, Fields makes the most sense under Smith.
“That’s why if we were running the Steelers, I would go with Justin Fields because he’s ten years younger, and there’s the intriguing upside, as Graz just alluded to,” said Mike Tannenbaum. “Again, Arthur Smith had great success with Ryan Tannehill, who physically is very similar to Justin Fields. Moves the pocket, heavy play-action. Playing to his strengths would put pressure on a defense. You can win. It may not be ideal, and there will be some turnovers, but again, they’re both free agents and one thing about the future: I’d rather take Justin Fields and his intriguing upside than Russell Wilson, who maybe you squeeze a year out of but then you’re right back to square one next year.”
Is Justin Fields best for the Steelers on offense?
Fields's comparison to former Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is interesting. Their passing and rushing yards per attempt are similar, meaning Fields could thrive in Smith's offensive scheme. However, Fields is still a young and unrefined quarterback. That means there's still upside that Pittsburgh can tap into, which, to Tannenbaum's credit, makes it more apparent that the Steelers should roll with Fields as their starting quarterback.
The former Ohio State star might have helped make the case for the role after Russell's nagging calf injury allowed Fields to start. In Pittsburgh's first preseason game against the Texans, Fields got the nod to start with Wilson not playing, and he did a solid job, although a lousy exchange (there were two, but the second gained yards) and two sacks spoiled things. Ultimately, Fields finished 5-of-6 for 67 scoreless yards and a passer rating of 113.2. He also added three carries for two yards. It wasn't a terrible performance, but it was not enough to move the needle.
However, with signs pointing to Fields's upside, he might be QB1 in Pittsburgh sooner rather than later.
Follow Us
Subscribe