Former Steelers Rival Thinks The Best Bet Is To Set A "Low Bar" For The Quarterback Room

The Pittsburgh Steelers created a huge question at the quarterback position this offseason after a few disjointed years under Kenny Pickett. The organization chose to sweep the room clean and bring in two veterans, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, who possess great upside, but have underperformed recently. 

While most analysts agree that the Steelers are better off under Wilson or Fields than they were under Pickett and Mitch Trubisky, it is too soon to say that they have found the answer to their problems under center. Despite being a former Super Bowl winner, Wilson could not succeed with the Denver Broncos.

Former Baltimore Ravens defensive end, Chris Canty discussed the Steelers' quarterback situation on a recent episode of his podcast, Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Canty, and Michelle, which airs on ESPN Radio. Canty feels that the Steelers' chances in the AFC North rely heavily on the quarterback's success. 

"It feels like that is the quarterback room that's probably gonna finish in the cellar in that division. Now I know we look at Cleveland with a little bit of skepticism behind Deshaun Watson. But if he comes back healthy, I think from a talent standpoint, you believe in that more so than what Pittsburgh has in their quarterback room. If Pittsburgh competes in that division, it won't be because of the quarterback," said Canty.

The AFC North has become one of, if not the toughest division in the league. With the Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and Ravens all having incredible quarterback talent, Pittsburgh knew they needed to upgrade to be competitive. Despite the lack of a cohesive offense last year, they still finished third in the North and had an incredible record of 5-1 in the division. 

Ravens' Lamar Jackson is now a two-time league MVP, and Bengals' Joe Burrow has already taken his team to a Super Bowl. Deshaun Watson from the Browns is a bit more inconclusive. He proved to be a duel threat with the Houston Texans, but he hasn't quite found his footing in Cleveland yet. 

"I can't believe I'm saying this in 2024, but that's how it feels. Pittsburgh just needs their quarterback not to get in the way. And I guess that's a low bar to clear," remarked Canty. "Between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, they won't get in the way. But I don't think that's why they'll be able to compete in the AFC North and in the conference as a whole."

Canty said the Steelers' quarterback situation could be a non-factor, calling them "neutral." He doesn't think they help the team much; he just hopes that they don't hurt the team instead. 

Wilson and Fields have both been known to hold the ball too long and take too many quarterback hits. The question is how they will perform under new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. 

Smith helped the Tennessee Titans excel and did so with a run-heavy offense featuring a lot of play-action. He helped revive Ryan Tannehill's career, and running back Derrick Henry had his best season ever under Smith, winning the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2020.

Steelers' Russell Wilson Has This Job In The Bag

While some analysts believe that Fields can beat Wilson out for the starting job, many think Wilson has it locked up. That includes longtime Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly for The Athletic. Kaboly said that short of a serious injury, he doesn't see anything taking this job away from Wilson. 

Kaboly doesn't believe there is enough time for Head Coach Mike Tomlin to see Fields perform better than Wilson during the preseason. This isn't surprising, given that Tomlin said Wilson has "pole position" going into the season. 

Do you agree that Steelers quarterbacks are neutral and do not add anything positive to the team? Click to comment below!

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