As Sunday marked the fourth consecutive day that Russell Wilson did not participate in practice with his new Pittsburgh Steelers team, is Justin Fields gaining ground in the gap between him and Wilson?
Not many believed Mike Tomlin when he said this spring that Fields would have the opportunity to compete for the starting job. But Wilson wasn’t sidelined then, either.
Although Fields saw first-team reps during Pittsburgh’s first week of training camp, Tomlin is maintaining his March “pole position” comment.
“Nothing has changed,” Tomlin told Steelers media on Wednesday.
And it really shouldn’t have anyway. The Steelers have been practicing for four days, and there are 42 more between now and kickoff. There’s also the minor detail of Wilson coming into his 13th season and Fields, his fourth. Fields hasn’t proven himself as the better of the two signal-callers, and unless he does, he’s of zero threat to Wilson.
Unquestionably, though, practice with Pittsburgh’s first team can only benefit a former first-round quarterback who’s struggled over his first three seasons.
Fields isn’t the only quarterback benefiting from Wilson’s unfortunate (and unnecessary) injury. Kyle Allen, a Buffalo Bills free agent signed by the Steelers this spring, caught Tomlin’s eye during the unexpected increase in work at practice.
“I was really excited about Kyle Allen today, getting elevated work as a consequence of Russ’ injury,” Tomlin told Steelers media on Friday. “And, so, a really nice opportunity for him today. I thought he did some nice things in that regard.”
Wilson is expected to return to practice this week. The Steelers will have a day of rest and recovery before getting back to Chuck Noll Field on Tuesday.
