That has allowed fellow quarterback Justin Fields to take a lot of the snaps with the first-team offense, and it is protected to say Pittsburgh’s protection has had its palms full with the No. 11 total choose in 2021.
After yet one more good exhibiting by Fields on Wednesday, which included one other future that he went untouched, veteran linebacker Elandon Roberts famous how tough it’s to cowl Fields.
“Large time,” Roberts stated. “Exterior the pocket, this man’s an issue. Contained in the pocket, he is an issue. … He is the kind of man that is all the time going to maintain you in your toes.”
Fields’ dual-threat functionality is the precise cause the Steelers traded for him earlier this offseason.
Over the previous two years, the 25-year-old has thrown for 4,804 yards and 33 touchdowns whereas additionally speeding for 1,800 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Fields should nonetheless beat out Wilson, who has the “pole place” to be Pittsburgh’s starter, however whether or not that occurs or not, he’s nonetheless serving to the protection put together for a tricky 12 months of opposing quarterbacks.
“It helps us quite a bit,” Roberts added. “You’ve got obtained Lamar (Jackson), Deshaun (Watson) can nonetheless run. … We enjoying Jalen Hurts this 12 months. We obtained Dak Prescott. … It will get us ready for that component.”
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin shares the identical notion.
“When he breaks the pocket, he’s harmful, and he can flip a nasty play into a very good play actually quick,” Austin said. “It is actually good work for us as a result of we’re gonna run throughout quarterbacks like that.”
Solely the Steelers coaches know the place Fields stands within the quarterback competitors, however the extra he performs effectively and constantly in apply whereas Wilson is proscribed, the stronger his case shall be for QB1.
All quotations obtained firsthand except in any other case famous.
