After dealing with a nagging calf strain, Russell Wilson has finally practiced with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although Wilson was limited to practicing with the third team, it was a welcome return for the veteran quarterback. Before this, all Wilson could do was hand the ball off during team drills. During a play with the third team, it appeared that's all had to do. However, Wilson pulled off a training camp first instead, leading to excitement in Pittsburgh's quarterback race between Wilson and Justin Fields.
Wilson appeared to change the play at the line of scrimmage, calling out to his teammates. Rather than handing the ball off, Wilson threw a check-down pass to wide receiver Duece Watts for a short gain, per Brooke Pryor. On the surface, it seems like an insignificant play during training camp. However, with Fields gaining so much momentum during camp, moments like these help Wilson's case in the ongoing Steelers starting quarterback saga.
It's another step in the right direction for Wilson's recovery. His participation has slowly ramped up over the past six days for the Steelers, with the quarterback continuing to throw during individual warm-ups and the 7-on-7 period. During a 2-on-2 period, Wilson was intercepted for the first time as he underthrew wide receiver Jaray Jenkins. Safety Nathan Meadors made a play on it and snagged the pass away. Wilson found a wide-open George Pickens for a score in subsequent reps, and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. broke up a pass intended for wide receiver Jacob Copeland.
Things are trending upward for Wilson, who has to regain the ground he lost to Fields in the quarterback race. While the Steelers haven't decided who will start for them, it appears, for now, it's an even competition.
Who will start at quarterback for the Steelers?
After moving on from Kenny Pickett, the Steelers have been auditioning Fields and Wilson for the open quarterback position. While Fields hasn't proved he's a franchise quarterback, neither has Wilson. That's what makes this ongoing quarterback saga for Pittsburgh so tough.
Wilson has the experience and knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl. However, he is also coming off a tough season, which led to a messier divorce with the Denver Broncos. So, although joining the Steelers is a new chance for Wilson, is the juice worth the squeeze for Pittsburgh? Or is Wilson already too far gone to save?
Fields, meanwhile, has never made the playoffs professionally and lacks any winning NFL experience. The weapons the Chicago Bears put around Fields were virtually non-existent, which didn't lead to much success. With that in mind, with weapons all over Pittsburgh, could the Steelers tap into what Fields accomplished at Ohio State? Or is he just a high-profile draft bust like Marcus Mariota?
That's why updates on Fields or Wilson coming out of Steelers training camp are so important. There's no clear answer right now, and how either quarterback plays will determine the starter.
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