My thoughts on our roster....... Quarterbacks

All offenses are a reflection of the QB at the lead of it... we turned over the entire qb rm for this season, and crazy enough, they're all on one yr contracts (go figure).... all 3 have played some part or other this season regardless of how big or small... Who stays??
Who goes???
So here goes....


Russell Wilson----- There was a time when Russell Wilson was a human cheat code... his escapability was unmatched..... those times are long gone.. while he can still occasionally can run, he's lost his speed, and his movement in the pocket is sorely lacking.... he can no longer throw on the run and has a poor intermediate game.... what he still does on an elite level is deliver the deep ball... Wilson gives his receivers a chance to win their match ups down field ... what he no longer does is see the whole field and make quick, precise decisions... he holds the ball far too long, which opens him up to stunts... he waits for the opportunity to make the big play.. while that sounds a lot like Ben, he does not have that size to fight off the pass rush and deliver a perfect strike.... Wilson is still a good leader that specializes in team building and is worth keeping around for a yr or 2 as a bridge while we develop a young signal caller....
Speaking of young signal callers........


Justin Fields ----- Fields has everything physically that you could want in a qb.... he has a strong arm, athleticism, and is a top 5 scrambler at the position..... what he doesn't have is the confidence to use them.. His time in Chicago has severely stunted his growth and he is far too concerned with not making a mistake to cut lose with his arm talent... he also has trouble using touch on his throws and cannot throw his man open...Fields' ability to read a defense is also lacking.. due to his time in Chicago, any coach working with him has to basically start from scratch and build him from the ground up.... Not sure what team is in position to do that, but it is not really us... If we grab a young signal caller in the draft, then Fields is gone.... if we pass on a qb, then Fields will be back and extended for at least another 2 yrs


Kyle Allen ---- no one is gonna mistake Allen for a franchise qb, but he does have a live arm and is mobile.... he entered the Dallas game briefly and during that short time may very well have thrown one of the best passes of all 3 qb's this season.... his outlook next season is very similar to Fields.. it will all depend on what we do in the draft... Fields has more upside, but Allen is more steady...... I believe he stays on a 1 yr deal



Next up..... RB's

 

It's Fields who stays for me, there's nothing left to see with Wilson other than other wasted season going one and done in the playoffs. and missing out on whatever top QB's are there.

We are in death spiral of mediocrity right now with MT and a whatever QB we throw out there.

 

I’m going to borrow this if that is ok

 

Let this be another reminder that QBs, no matter how gifted or decorated, need the right support system to succeed. The 2024 Steelers are another case study as to what happens when such a system is fractured to hell and back. What needs to happen is this entire offense is in dire need of a retune.


Not convinced a good support system works foe QBs?! See Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jordan Love, Sam Darnold, Jalen Hurts, CJ Stroud, Sam Darnold and even Jayden Daniels.

 

Being as we see how this season ended makes you wonder what would have been the result if the QB change didnt happen and the Steelers gave Fields the whole season to see what he could have done. Its easy to say this now but i feel the Steelers are not close enough to waste on Wilson now. Im not sold on Justin but i feel he is are only choice right now

 

It sure is.

 

I strongly believe we miss the playoffs if Fields remained as the starter..... while his running ability gave the defenses a little extra to worry about, it was his deficiencies as a passer that would've sunk the ship..... I can't picture Fields winning some of those games with his arm..... picture the 1st Bengals game for instance

 

Thanks for the run down on Qb’s. Agree in general. I think we need to go back to the draft for a Qb. Trade up and or deal Watt if we have to. I think Russ or Allen could be good backups at this point. If we can resign Russ with the idea of him mentoring the new rook that would be ideal. Fields should be let go so he can find a gig as a starter somewhere else.

 

.my thoughts on the QB change to Wilson.I agree with the win and loss but with are oline as bad as it was just him being back there could have made line look better slow down pass rush help run game while keeping ball more on offense. that alone would have helped Def from being on field as much. This team has terrible oline ,no real #1 WR anyways

 

Wilson is not the future.

Fields is not the future.

Why waste time on either?

Start drafting QB’s in later rounds and see if you hit on one. If you don’t, it’s likely you’ll eventually end up with a top 10 pick to get a more sure thing.

 

There are no QBs on our roster.

 

Tomlin wouldn't even have been able to win with Tom Brady. Tomlin is a fraud, always has been, always will be.

 

Frankly, I'd be ok with this. The voices to get Tomlin out of here would have been even louder.

 

Here we go again. The Steelers know all they need to know about their needs. They had plenty of time to get a look at Fields when you consider part of this season and the three years in Chicago. They knew the offense could be better with Wilson, so they made the switch. It cost them nothing to try to get as far as they could go this season. Actually, it got them something. Playing Fields more would have cost them a higher draft pick.

 

Our franchise QB is not on the roster imo.

From what I have read, the QB pickings in this year's draft are not stellar with 2 or 3 decent ones and nobody who looks truly awesome. Is our franchise QB there? Probably not a chance at all when you factor in the teams in desperate need of a QB that are way ahead of us in the draft.

So, if our QB is not in the draft, what is left?

Allen is a good third QB and might even have it in him to be a decent two.

Can anyone see a multi year contract for Wilson or Fields? Maybe one of them for 2 or 3 years at a cap friendly price tag. I can't see it being both though. Too much demand for QBs around the league right now. So who will it be? My gut says Fields. He still has to prove his value and is more likely to take something reasonable in price. Wilson is going to get offered a good payday to go be a stop gap somewhere for a team with no QB prospects..... Like the Raiders, Jets or saints.

We are going to be stuck with Fields as our 1 or 2 and we will grab another QB with experience to fill the roster......or maybe pull a very late round QB and let Allen and the new draft to fight for the #2 spot.

....... IMO

 

Agree with most of the outlook. Russ' time of being a capable QB is gone. He flashed early in his starting stint, but really struggled most games (even in some of our wins). He had 3 really nice games, 2 meh ones, and 7 pretty bad ones (gonna call the playoff game bad instead of meh because he didn't do anything at all until we were already down 3 scores. His numbers look a good deal better than what we got from him). It was a ballsy decision to go with Russ when we were winning with Fields, and it backfired on us. We lost a good bit of growth opportunity and evaluation time with Fields and gained little to nothing switching over. Fields may lack a bit of confidence due to his time in Chicago, but I really fault the coaching staff for not getting him some more. We seemingly sheltered the offensive playcalling and were more worried about not turning it over than we were gaining yards and scoring points. I think he would be a good bridge option for us and still has a good bit of upside. If we can put some high end playmakers around him, the offense could be pretty good. Allen is what he is. Solid NFL rosterable QB with a bit of experience starting. He's nothing more than a really good #3 or a mid to low end #2.

With all of that being said, I don't want us to grab a QB in this year's draft. I don't want us to draft anyone until Tomlin is gone. I think his offensive philosophy is stifling to developing players, and he would pretty surely ruin a young, talented, signal-caller. I don't want to waste another high draft pick on a kid our HC will ruin. We should extend Fields on a 2 year deal (maybe 3 if we have to) and ride it out until ownership finally gets tired of MT's sh*t. Dart, Howard and McCord seem like decent project players that project to capable back ups with some starting caliber upside. If we want to grab one of them in the mid rounds, then so be it.

 

I'm with you, we've gone through three offensive coordinators now that all avoid using the middle of the field. There's no way it's not a Tomlin demand. His extreme risk aversion makes everything more difficult for an offense.

 

We have to look at Sam Darnold twice??

I agree with you though, AQL. The offensive scheme was not built to Wilson's strengths, but then you're nto going to build around someone in the twilight of their career. Hell, it wasn't even built around our receivers strengths - we have some good shifty and quick guys, but we're not using them on short-medium routes to get the ball and make something happen.

I don't always put a lot of stock in "identity", but I do think they need a plan on offense and to stick to it in terms of what they want to be. I'd be for signing another decent vet QB for a year or two, until the right QB to draft comes along.

 

I’m never okay tanking.

 

Like the Steelers between Bradshaw and Ben, they are in QB purgatory until they have a down year and get a top 10 pick with some real talent in the draft, which will be all luck.

Unfortunately, the NFL is now designed to not be able to win without a QB. This is no longer the 80’s/90’s, no more Super Bowl runs with guys like Neil O’Donnell.

 

Again I will say the miss on Pickett was a set back. Plus years of having a franchise QB were wasted.

I can see them doing another total rebuild of the QB position. Again!

Their is no way I want to see gimmick Fields back here as a starter. An athlete who can run does not make a solid NFL QB. And it shows.

Wilson was a disappointment at times although their were a lot of factors to give him a slight pass. Offensive Line getting manhandled consistently, a bunch of # 4 receivers, a fraud #1 receiver, tight ends not used properly 2 of then shouldn't be on the roster, an archaic play caller who takes his marching orders from an archaic head coach.

I wanted Wilson to come back after this season and them drafting a QB. At this point that will have to be in 2025. And they will have to trade up. Unless they go for a Will Howard from Ohio State.

This team is in tatters led by a dinosaur. And an owner who has a blindfold on...

 

neither should stay, I don't think either you can play or build around for 2025.

We are in NO MANS LAND.

it sucks

 

this - all of it, and the BLUE too!!!!