The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the more interesting and active teams during the NFL offseason. While they made the playoffs last year, they were often underwhelming from an offensive point of view. As a result, they made several changes at the quarterback position. Former first-round draft choice Kenny Pickett was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Steelers acquired veterans Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to man the quarterback position.

The Steelers brought in Wilson before they traded for Fields and head coach Mike Tomlin attempted to quell a quarterback controversy by saying Wilson would be the team's starter while the athletic Fields would be the backup.

Tomlin could have made such a pronouncement to help his team have a smooth operation in the offseason, but his remarks will probably mean very little once training camp gets underway during the summer. If either Wilson or Fields outstrips the other on the practice field by a significant margin, it seems quite likely that that quarterback will become the starter.

If it is Fields, who is far more athletic than Wilson at this point in their careers, there is no guarantee that the former Seahawk and Bronco quarterback will even have a place on the roster.

Wilson endorses Fields and his versatility for the Steelers

As the Steelers prepare for the 2024 regular season with offseason practices and training activities, there are no signs of tension between the two quarterbacks — at least on the surface.

Wilson provided an endorsement of Fields and the idea of the Steelers using him in a “slash” type of role, similar to the way the New Orleans Saints have used QB-RB-WR Taysom Hill.

“Justin is obviously one of the most talented guys in the NFL,” Wilson said. “You know all the things he can do. The player, the quarterback that he is. He’s dynamic. It’s all about us winning. That’s the focus. I think it would strike fear in some defenses, that’s for sure.

“Justin is a franchise quarterback. He’s a guy that can do a lot of amazing things. So, we have two dynamic guys that can do a lot of special things.”

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Fields has been a good sport since trade to Steelers

Fields has played the part of good soldier to this point, letting the media know he is ready to go forward in any role the team chooses for him.

The quarterback was the No. 11 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft for the Chicago Bears. He played three years for the Bears before he was traded in the offseason to the Steelers.

The quarterback opened eyes with his athletic ability, eye-catching speed and arm strength, but he lacked consistency at the position. Accuracy on short- and medium-range passes has been an issue for the former Ohio State star, and so has his decision-making ability.

At the conclusion of his tenure with the Bears, a number of his teammates stood up and said they loved playing with him, but that did not stop general manager Ryan Poles from trading him and drafting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.

Williams is expected to become the starting QB in Chicago when the season kicks off.