The Pittsburgh Steelers boast a very talented roster heading into 2024, with very few obvious weaknesses on either side of the ball. As the offseason slows down before all 32 teams report for Training Camps in July, the Steelers roster is mostly set, although transactions like trades, extensions, and late Free Agent signings are still on the table.

With the position rooms set for now, I wanted to really dive into each group and talk about one potential “star” and one sleeper to watch for in 2024. Let’s start where we must, at the Quarterback position, where Pittsburgh hopes to employ a couple significant upgrades over what they’ve had in recent seasons.

Let’s dive in!

PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
QB1: Russell Wilson | Age: 35 | Exp: 13 yrs
QB2: Justin Fields | Age: 25 | Exp: 4 yrs
QB3: Kyle Allen | Age: 28 | Exp: 6 yrs
QB4: John Rhys Plumlee | Age: 23 | Exp: Rookie

POTENTIAL STAR: RUSSELL WILSON

I promise most positions won’t be this cut and dry, but the truth is that Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are the only guys we really need to be discussing at this position for Pittsburgh in 2024. Anything else is getting too cute.

Russ is coming off a well-documented tough 2-year stretch after his blockbuster trade from Seattle to Denver. Wilson’s 2022 campaign under the tutelage of HC Nate Hackett was one of the worst seasons by a QB I’ve ever seen. Sean Payton’s arrival in 2023, though, helped Russ turn things around enough to spark some intrigue that maybe there is something left in the 35-year-old’s tank heading into his 1st year in Pittsburgh.

There’s a real chance that Wilson, who has voiced his own optimism for what he calls a “fountain of youth” type rejuvenation in Pittsburgh, can turn back the clock and show the same type of playmaking ability that earned him the trade and huge contract with Denver. Russ ranked 3rd in Completion % Over Expected (CPOE) in 2023 and 13th in EPA/play + CPOE composite rankings for 2023. Meaning he played smart, took chances down the field, and played above his circumstances last season for the most part.

I believe there’s a solid chance the “Russ of old” returns in some fashion to us in 2024, giving both Wilson and Pittsburgh a massive boost at the position for the first time in several long years.

SLEEPER: JUSTIN FIELDS

I understand anyone who would push back on listing Fields as a “Sleeper” for 2024, considering he’s been a starter in this league for nearly 3 seasons and has shown flashes of immense upside at the position. However, for this Steelers team that has consistently stated their stance that Russell Wilson is in the “pole position” for the QB1 spot, I think it makes sense to list him here with the expectation being that he operates as Wilson’s backup for 2024.

Let’s not set that in stone quite yet, though, Steelers Nation. Fields is as dynamic an athlete as we’ve ever seen at the QB position, and the Steelers obviously thought very highly of him in the leadup to the 2020 NFL Draft and subsequently this offseason as it became clear both Chicago (Field’s original team) and Pittsburgh were looking to move on from their respective situations at QB. Fields needs no endorsement from me for the talent and upside he brings to the field.

In Pittsburgh, Fields will find a steady environment conducive to his growth and development, and he might even be able to unlock a level of consistency we’ve yet to see from him, despite the obvious dynamism of his play style. Fields’ talent is such that if he shows real growth throughout Training Camp and the Preseason, he may leave the Steelers no choice but to make him the starter and lock him in as their Franchise QB of the future.