The Steelers were apparently so shook by the Kenny Pickett experiment that they not only went out and got Russell Wilson, but they added a second quarterback, Justin Fields, just to be completely sure they were doing everything they could. It’s like when you miss your anniversary, then you panic and go overboard with the gifts. The Steelers want to throw as many quarterbacks as possible at the problem.

I still feel like Russell — who is entering camp in “pole position” to win the job — is a good quarterback. Obviously, things didn’t work out for him with the Broncos, even after a better 2023, but pairing him with Arthur Smith feels right. As offensive coordinator in Tennessee in 2020, Smith used play action on a league-high 34.4 percent of his offensive plays. And that’s where Russell thrives; he’s recorded a 109.7 passer rating on such plays in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016). If you regularly put him in that situation, the 35-year-old might just revive his career. Smith also used the run a lot in recent seasons, with Atlanta logging 31.8 carries per game in 2022-23, good for second in the NFL in that span, and if he leans on the ground again in Pittsburgh, that will take some pressure off the veteran passer. All of this said, there should be reason for optimism. Then add in the athleticism of Fields, who will likely get some goal-line packages and some other stuff worked in for him. I’m intrigued by this Steelers quarterback room.