Justin Fields of Pittsburgh Steelers throwing football.Justin Fields (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields is reportedly struggling to get his grip on the offense as training camp approaches.

In March, the Steelers acquired Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick. The move came after Pittsburgh signed another big-named QB, Russell Wilson, in free agency.

Head coach Mike Tomlin quickly shut down the idea of a QB controversy by stating that Wilson would open as the starter. And a new report indicates that there truly isn’t much competition between Wilson and Fields.

According to the @NFLNotify X/Twitter account, the 2021 first-round pick “has struggled” during the Steelers offseason camp. A source told the account that Justin Fields’ “timing is off,” and that “his ball placement is suspect…often seems disengaged.”

 

The Bears landed the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft via the Carolina Panthers, who gave up that selection as part of the move-up for Bryce Young a year ago. With that pick, Chicago selected can’t-miss USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

Justin Fields had an inconsistent three-year tenure as the Bears’ starting quarterback. He went 10-28-0 as a starter with a 60.3 completion percentage, 6,674 passing yards and 40 touchdowns against 30 interceptions.

Though his passing numbers were lackluster at best, Fields dazzled as a runner with 2,220 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. This included 1,143 rushing yards and eight rushing scores during the 2022 season.

Justin Fields Can Become A Free Agent Next Year

After acquiring Fields, the Steelers decided to decline the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. So that means the Ohio State product is eligible to enter free agency next year, barring an extension from the Pittsburgh front office.

Wilson had a solid bounce-back year in Denver last season, so it’s understandable that Tomlin wants to give him first dibs. But if Wilson struggles early, don’t be surprised if Fields is quickly given the chance to run the offense.

The Steelers open their 2024 season with a road tilt against the Kirk Cousins-led Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8.

PHOTOS: NFL Fans Had All Sorts Of Things To Say About The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Wacky New Helmets For The 2024 Season

Pittsburgh Steelers logo on a helmet.Pittsburgh Steelers logo on a helmet. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NFL fans are loving the new helmets that the Pittsburgh Steelers are experimenting with during OTAs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are just one of several NFL teams trying out several new helmet designs built to better protect against concussions. Last year, the NFL approved a new helmet designed for quarterbacks by Vicis that lessens helmet-to-ground impact hits.

Ed Thompson of Steelers Now recently shared some images of the new helmets that the AFC North club is trying out. These are Vicis Zero2 models that are also designed to provide greater protection against concussions:

 

NFL fans were loving the new helmets, with one even suggesting that superstar edge-rusher TJ Watt give it a look:

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a 10-win season that saw them reach the playoffs for the third time in four years. However, they were eliminated by Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Super Wild Card Weekend. The loss entended their franchise’s postseason losing streak to five games.

Mike Tomlin’s Steelers will open their 2024 season on the road against Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8.

Pittsburgh Steelers Will Look A Lot Different On Offense In 2024

The Steelers qualified for the postseason in 2024 despite using three different (and mediocre) quarterbacks in Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph. All three of those are gone, with Russell Wilson (signed in free agency) and Justin Fields (acquired via trade with the Chicago Bears) replacing them.

Pittsburgh also traded star wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in a surprise move. But they added veteran WR Van Jefferson and four-time Pro Bowler Cordarrelle Patterson to bolster their receiver depth. On top of that, GM Omar Khan added two promising youngsters on the o-line with Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier, who were taken in rounds one and two, respectively.

We’ll see in the coming months if Pittsburgh’s offensive overhaul pays dividends.