Shortly after the Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision to replace Kenny Pickett with both Wilson and Fields, they clarified that it would be Wilson who got the first shot at the starting job. Head coach Mike Tomlin left the door open for Fields to win the job at some point over the summer, or even later in the regular season, but it was Wilson’s job first.
“You couldn’t have asked for much more out of Wilson during OTAs and minicamp, on the field and off it. His leadership is more than noticeable, and that’s been true since the first day he showed up. What stood out was his arm talent, whether it was a throw in the flat, at the goal line or down the field.”
That earned Wilson a spot on Kaboly’s offseason “winners” list. Fields on the other hand ended up in the “losers” pile.
“Don’t get bent out of shape with Fields finding himself on this list,” Kaboly wrote. “His talent speaks for itself. But unlike Wilson, he has a lot of obstacles to overcome for an opportunity this year. Fields didn’t get many first-team reps, and that’s significant come training camp. More than that, you can see what made him a first-round pick … and also what made the Chicago Bears move on. The arm strength, speed and playmaking with his legs are undeniable. However, he showed inconsistent accuracy and relied on his feet too quickly after the first read. That stuff can be fixed, but maybe not throughout a training camp.”
