Steelers Give Bears Great News Just Hours Before Week 1 Kickoff

The Pittsburgh Steelers' fan base went through a rollercoaster of emotions when the new league year began in March. Leading up to the free agency period, there was a huge question mark at the quarterback position. All three signal-callers from the 2023 roster, including 2022 first-round Kenny Pickett, were shown the door in some fashion, and Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen all came to the Steel City. The most unlikely of those additions was certainly Fields, after General Manager Omar Khan worked out a deal to acquire the dynamic quarterback from the Chicago Bears for only a conditional sixth-round pick.

There was a small little intricacy in the deal that Khan made for Fields, however. The key word was that the sixth-round pick was conditional, and the terms detailed that if Fields plays 51% or more of the Steelers' offensive snaps, that the sixth-rounder will transition into being a fourth-rounder. That's a big difference and having an extra pick, or lack thereof in Pittsburgh's case, in day three's first round could make a large difference for a franchise.

It has been reported as official that Wilson is not healthy enough to go during Pittsburgh's Week 1 season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. That means that Fields is going to get the nod, and have the opportunity to showcase his talents.

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There's a scenario here in which Fields never relinquishes the starting job. The competition between he and Wilson was much closer than anyone anticipated throughout training camp. The injury to Wilson is opening the door for the younger, more elusive quarterback to step in and becoming the long-term answer for the Steelers at the position. As Dan Orlovksy mentioned, it's the best opportunity Fields will get in his career.

The situation has captivated the national sports media since both quarterbacks were brought in, and it literally came down to the wire regarding a Week 1 starter. Albeit, it's not necessarily by choice of the coaching staff since Wilson is not fully healthy. It's hard to ignore the fact that Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the training staff are holding Wilson out as a caution, but also because, deep down, Fields is the preferential starter moving forward and down the line.

Despite Wilson's confidence in himself to play, it makes no sense to rush your 35-year-old starting quarterback into action with a nagging calf injury. That's exactly what could lead to more serious injuries. Fields starting doesn't mean that he has solidified his spot as the top guy, but if he performs well, it will be hard to go away from him in Week 2, despite the Steelers playing Wilson's old team in the Denver Broncos.

A strong outing from Fields could absolutely lead to him earning the trust of the coaching staff, which would tell fans of both the Steelers and the Bears that Fields is likely to play 51% or more of the snaps throughout the year, leading to Pittsburgh forfeiting a fourth-round pick to Chicago, rather than a sixth.

Steelers Fourth-Round Pick Is Small In Comparison If Fields Performs At High Level

Teams need a quarterback in the NFL to win consistently and, most importantly, compete for Super Bowl championships. If Fields starts out his career in Pittsburgh with a bang, then fans and the organization will happily be prepared to give up a fourth-round pick for the future of the franchise. There are several moving pieces when it comes to the situation, but Bears fans can't be too upset about Fields getting the starting gig in Week 1.

Do you think that Fields will play 51% of snaps in 2024 for the Steelers? let us know in the comments below!

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