The Pittsburgh Steelers have made some interesting additions this offseason, and those additions have their fans excited for the upcoming NFL campaign.
After quarterback Kenny Pickett simply didn’t cut it in his first two seasons, they brought in future Hall of Fame signal-caller Russell Wilson.
Wilson had just endured two painful seasons with the Denver Broncos, but he will now have the opportunity to start with something of a clean slate.
The same is true for Justin Fields, a young quarterback the Steelers traded for this offseason.
Fields was highly regarded out of Ohio State University when he was the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft, but he failed to show any meaningful improvement in three years with the Chicago Bears.
The trade has reunited Fields with wide receiver George Pickens, both of whom attended the University of Georgia. Fields started out there in the fall of 2018 before transferring to Ohio State University.
Fields told the media that he has known Pickens since high school while praising the wideout’s pass-catching abilities and athleticism.
Last season, Pickens had to share the offensive spotlight with Diontae Johnson, but Johnson was traded this spring to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson.
Pickens did well in 2023, his second season in the NFL, by taking in 63 catches and converting them into 1,140 yards and five touchdowns while leading everyone with 18.1 yards per reception.
Pittsburgh will still have Najee Harris, who ran for 1,035 yards and eight touchdowns last year, in the backfield, and as usual, its defense will likely be its calling card.
Linebacker T.J. Watt is one of the best pass rushers in the game, and he will be joined by Patrick Queen, an emerging 24-year-old star linebacker who made his first Pro Bowl in 2023 as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
There is some doubt about who will be the starter under center for the Steelers this coming season. Wilson seems to be on his way to being their QB1 for Week 1, but some have speculated that there is a real chance head coach Mike Tomlin will turn to Fields instead by the holiday season.
With Justin Fields going into his fourth pro season, this may be his last real chance to prove he’s a quality player. So far in his career, he has completed just 60.3 percent of his pass attempts and has thrown 40 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in 40 games.
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