Oddsmakers unconvinced Justin Fields will earn Steelers’ starting job by Week 1 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Former Bears quarterback Justin Fields will battle for the Steelers‘ starting spot this summer with longtime veteran Russell Wilson.
But oddsmakers are not convinced Fields will earn the starting job by Week 1. Bet Online currently lists Fields’ odds to win the job by Week 1 at +550. Wilson’s odds for the job are -1000. That means if you bet $1,000 on Wilson to earn the starting job, you would win just $100.
According to Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly in late June, Fields struggled during the Steelers’ early offseason program, while Wilson thrived.
“Wilson did nothing through 12 practices to even slightly indicate he could lose the quarterback competition to Justin Fields,” Kaboly wrote for The Athletic. “The work ethic, the experience, the arm talent and the fact he basically took all of the first-team snaps strongly suggest that nothing Wilson can do between July 24 and Sept. 8 would prevent him from starting.”
Shortly after the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to replace Kenny Pickett with both Wilson and Fields, they clarified that it would be Wilson who got the first shot at the starting job. Head coach Mike Tomlin left the door open for Fields to win the job at some point over the summer, or even later in the regular season, but it was Wilson’s job first.
“You couldn’t have asked for much more out of Wilson during OTAs and minicamp, on the field and off it. His leadership is more than noticeable, and that’s been true since the first day he showed up. What stood out was his arm talent, whether it was a throw in the flat, at the goal line, or down the field.”
The Bears moved on from Fields on March 16, trading him to the Steelers in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick that could change to a fourth-rounder if Fields plays more or equal to 51% of snaps in 2024. All the offseason evidence suggests that isn’t likely to happen unless Wilson gets injured.
In trading Fields, the Bears paved the way to draft USC’s Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in late April. With the offseason acquisitions of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, Gerald Everett, Kevin Byard, and others, the Bears crafted a formidable situation for Williams to step into.
On Wednesday, the Bears announced Williams signed his four-year rookie contract worth $39 million.
