Steelers Noticing Problem With Justin Fields: "That Was A Little Bit Of An Issue"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are poised to have their best season since Ben Roethlisberger called it quits and retired after the 2021 campaign. The offense is in better shape under new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith, and new quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields bring some excitement to Pittsburgh. Quarterback was one of the team's weakest positions in 2023, and the room got completely revamped during the 2024 offseason by General Manager Omar Khan.

Wilson is expected to begin the season as the starter for the Steelers, but Fields could still see a good amount of playing time. Both quarterbacks are only signed in Pittsburgh through the end of the 2024 season so the front office needs to see enough of Fields to know whether or not to give him a new contract. 

He is still young and could develop into a special talent, which means the Steelers could potentially have a future franchise quarterback. Reports out of minicamp haven't been great involving Fields, which insider Ray Fittipaldo touched on during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan on Friday.

"The knocks against Justin Fields coming in, a lot of it was his accuracy. Can he put the ball where it needs to be on a consistent basis? Just from observing, and talking to the people in the building, that was a little bit of an issue."

Fields has had an up-and-down career up until this point, and the fact that he hasn't become the star he was expected to be means the Steelers likely knew he was a bit of a project when he was acquired. His accuracy has always been questionable, but that can be fixed. His athleticism and play-making ability give him a limitless amount of potential. Fittipaldo spoke more about Fields' performance so far during his radio appearance.

"I wouldn't make it a big deal in May and June guys. I think you have to remember, number one, he's coming in and he's with a new team. He's with a new OC, a new QB Coach. They're probably trying to tinker with his game a little bit before they throw him out there in July." 

Pittsburgh brought in a lot of new faces on the offensive coaching staff, which includes a new offensive coordinator in Smith and a new quarterbacks coach in Tom Arth. Fields is facing the challenge of learning a new offense, while also building healthy relationships with new teammates and coaches. 

The Steelers organization has the tools to help Fields reach his full potential. Arth has an impressive resume, as he spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers as a passing game specialist. He helped develop Justin Herbert, and he can bring those coaching tactics to Pittsburgh to help both Fields and Wilson.

Fields will also benefit from a healthy running game, which will be the focal point of Smith's offense. He is known for his time as the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, where he called the offense which led to the two most successful seasons of Derrick Henry's career. A successful running game makes life easier for a quarterback, especially for one with Fields' athleticism. 

Steelers' Justin Fields Will Have A Chance To Impress During Training Camp

Wilson is the presumptive starter for the 2024 season, and it has been said publicly on many occasions that he is in pole position to start. However, Fields will also be given a chance to compete for the starting job. Wilson will either need to play poorly in training camp and the preseason games to lose his job, or Fields will have to outperform him by a good margin. 

It is more likely that Wilson begins the season as the starter, but Fields should still get his share of snaps in special packages designed for him and his athleticism. If Wilson struggles at all throughout the year, it will be interesting to see how long it will take for Fields to take over as the starter.

What do you think about the concerns over Fields performance? 

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