Wilson missed the team’s opener with a calf injury and he’s officially questionable for Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos. However, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting Wilson won’t be back until at least Week 4, leaving Justin Fields as the starter.
“The Steelers plan to have Justin Fields start the next two games – Sunday in Denver against the Broncos and the home opener Sept. 22 against the Los Angeles Chargers – while Russell Wilson continues to rest his injured calf so it doesn’t morph into something worse,” Dulac reported on Friday. Wilson was a key free agent signing for the Steelers and came with a reduced price tag. The Steelers signed Wilson to a one-year veteran’s minimum deal worth $1.21 million. Wilson was available after the Denver Broncos released him, and they will pay him $39 million to not be on the roster. There’s still a debate about whether Wilson will be the starter once he’s healthy. Fields helped lead the Steelers to a win in Week 1 but passed for just 156 yards. Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin wasn’t eager to discuss his quarterback depth chart.
I’m not going to soothe you with hypothetical scenarios,” Tomlin said earlier in the week. “It is my general practice to not. … So why start today? Because it’s the quarterback position or because it’s a national story? I am unmoved by some of those narratives, to be quite honest with you.” The Steelers are a 2.5-point favorite against the Broncos, per ESPN BET.
