The Pittsburgh Steelers are sporting a completely revamped quarterback room in 2024 compared to last season. Out are Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky and in are Russell Wilson and Justin Fields—a duo that has made for a surprisingly interesting training camp competition so far.
Wilson signed with the Steelers in March after being released by the Broncos, who still owe the quarterback nearly $ 38 million for 2024. Wilson failed to elevate Denver to the heights he took the Seahawks in his first 10 seasons in the league, posting an 11-19 record. His two-year period with the Broncos is the worst stretch of his career so far.
Joining Wilson in the Steel City is former Bears quarterback Fields, who was traded to Pittsburgh from Chicago for a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick. His third year in the league was in some ways his best, though a 5-8 record can hardly be considered a success.
Though it has been widely reported that Wilson is slated to be the team’s starting quarterback since he joined the Steelers in March, a calf injury during training camp marked a setback that gave Fields a little bit of time to catch up.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Steelers’ depth chart, including whether Fields can challenge Wilson for the starting quarterback job ahead of Week 1.
MORE: Russell Wilson injury update
Steelers QB depth chart
Starter: Russell Wilson
Since arriving in Pittsburgh, it’s been clear that Wilson is in “pole position,” as head coach Mike Tomlin put it, in the battle against Fields. After sustaining a calf injury that kept him out for the first two weeks of training camp, including the first preseason game, the veteran quarterback is back to full participation in practice and is splitting first-team reps ahead of the team’s second preseason game against the Bills.
Tomlin said Wilson would start this weekend versus Buffalo over Fields and play roughly four series in the contest. In his debut with the Steelers, Wilson looks to confirm he’s the right man for the job by beginning to improve on his mediocre performance last year in Denver where he threw for the fewest yards in his 12-year career.
MORE: NFL Preseason injury tracker | RB depth charts
Backup: Justin Fields
With Wilson’s injury, Fields had two weeks to catch up and impress Tomlin in the process. He had a decent performance in Pittsburgh’s first preseason game against the Texans despite the loss, going 5-for-6 for 67 yards. Nevertheless, two bad exchanges between himself and center Nate Herbig didn’t instill a huge amount of confidence that he would supplant the veteran.
Since Wilson’s return, though, Fields has still been splitting first-team reps with him in training camp. The fourth-year quarterback will likely appear after Wilson has a go against the Bills, which will give some more insight as to who meshes better with the rest of the offense by comparing the two quarterbacks directly in a game-time situation.
If Fields can play dynamic, mistake-free football while Wilson struggles at less-than 100 percent, it’s possible the younger QB can catch the veteran, but it still seems likely that Wilson will start Week 1 regardless of what happens over the next two games.
MORE PRESEASON: Week 1 rookie QB grades | Week 1 overreactions
Third string: Kyle Allen
The Steelers signed Kyle Allen in April to a one-year contract after the quarterback backed up Josh Allen in Buffalo during the 2023 season. He played the majority of Pittsburgh’s first preseason game, going 17-for-23 for 193 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception.
Allen’s last starting job came with the Houston Texans in 2022, when he took the helm following the team’s Week 11 loss to the Commanders. He was benched after two games in favor of Davis Mills, having thrown two touchdowns and four interceptions in his appearances.
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Fourth string: John Rhys Plumlee
John Rhys Plumlee signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of UCF in April. The 22-year-old threw for nearly 5,000 yards and 29 touchdowns in his two years as a Knight, transferring to UCF from Ole Miss after the 2021 season.
While he is listed as the team’s fourth-string slinger, it’s been reported that Plumlee began working with the wide receivers during training camp. He didn’t take any snaps at quarterback against the Texans in Week 1, but don’t be surprised if he lines up out wide against the Bills this Saturday.
