Former NFL Scout says Steelers fans should want no part of Russell Wilson, 'I want to see Justin Fields off the bat'
I would venture to say that for the majority of Pittsburgh Steelers fans, if the product on the field is resulting in wins, who's calling the signals doesn't matter. Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, heck, Kyle Allen even. If the QB play is satisfactory, then what difference does it make? Well, according to former NFL scout […]
I would venture to say that for the majority of Pittsburgh Steelers fans, if the product on the field is resulting in wins, who's calling the signals doesn't matter.
Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, heck, Kyle Allen even. If the QB play is satisfactory, then what difference does it make?
Well, according to former NFL scout and current podcast host John Middlekauff, Steelers fans should want no part of Wilson if they want to see wins:
Start Fields off the Bat?
If I’m a fan and we’re 0-2, I’m not watching Russell Wilson,” Middlekauff told Cowherd on their weekly podcast. “I’ve seen this from afar. Put in the young kid and let’s see if we could figure something out with this guy that has a lot of physical tools…
…"If their defense is good, honestly if I was a Steelers fan, I just wanna see Justin Fields right off. I wouldn’t even wanna see Russell Wilson. Can we resurrect this guy?”
It should be noted that Middlekauff isn't the biggest Russell Wilson fan, or at least not when it comes to what he's looked like when analyzing his last year in Seattle and two years in Denver:
“They’re basically taking a big swing here with the Russell Wilson and Justin Fields quarterback duo because, I would say (it) probably won’t work, but I completely understand why they did it, and I would have done it too if I were them,” Middlekauff said on his podcast March. “So are they better? Because what they’ve been is like a nine, ten-ish win team. A team that’s immediately out in the playoffs. Not winning any playoff games. Haven’t won one since 2016.”
I understand the sentiment. At this point, we know what Russell is. In a perfect world, he returns to his pre-thumb injury form from Seattle, but that was nearly three years ago at this point and Russell Wilson is heading into his age 35 season.
On the other hand, you have a player who's a decade younger and has shown flashes and made plays as recently as a few months ago that Wilson simply cannot make.
But that's why there should, and hopefully will, be a full-fledged competition when the team comes back from break after next week's minicamp and gears for the 2024 season in training camp come July.
