Even with the enormous financial value of a quarterback of that quality playing for the veteran’s minimum, trading for Russell Wilson alone? Whoa.
Wilson was the unquestioned leader of that Steelers squad and locker room after Kenny Pickett was traded away. Yep, even more.
By acquiring Justin Fields for about the same price that the Jaguars paid for Justin Fields, the team will be able to assess Wilson and Fields for a full season and may even be able to extend Fields’ contract through 2024 on his fifth-year option. We’re conversing now.
For a moment, we all forgot who the Steelers fundamentally are. Their entire organizational milieu is such that it would take a global catastrophe for the team to be bad enough to, A. make a selection in the top five of an NFL draft and, B. not spend that pick on an outside linebacker. As long as Mike Tomlin is the coach, the Steelers will never be able to fully start over. So, this is what starting over at the quarterback position looks like when tanking, or even accidental mediocrity, isn’t on the table.
