The battle for the Steelers' starting quarterback job appears to be heightening as former Bears quarterback Justin Fields continues to impress in training camp.
Head coach Mike Tomlin assured the media Wednesday that the fight to be the Steelers' starting signal caller is a competition.
"It very much is a competition," Tomlin said Wednesday of the starting quarterback position. "What happens in the stadium is weighted heavier than what happens in a practice setting because it's more game-like."
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If Fields continues to impress and earns the starting job, it'll benefit the Bears back in Chicago.
How?
When the Bears traded Fields to the Steelers on March 16, they received a conditional sixth-round pick in return that can convert to a fourth-round pick, should Fields play 51% of snaps with the Steelers this season. If Fields finds a way to become and remain the team's starter, the Bears will receive a better pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
For most of training camp, Wilson has held the pole position for the starting quarterback job. Seeing Wilson is a much more proven signal caller than Fields, the Steelers favored him early on this offseason.
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But when Wilson went down with calf tightness, Fields impressed, working with the starting unit in training camp. He made accurate deep throws, quick throws to slants and avoided sacks to make throws on the run.
So far in training camp, Fields has impressed Tomlin with his competitive spirit.
"I think he just comes to compete every day," Tomlin said. "He's got an awesome competitive spirit. We've got a competitive environment and it seems like he's enjoying it. He's doing a really good job of acclimating himself to it and his teammates and letting his talent show."
One of the points of emphasis the Steelers have made in Fields' development is his footwork. Fields was notorious for poor footwork when he was with the Bears. When he got to Pittsburgh, he changed his starting stance in the shotgun formation.
Tomlin has since reported he feels Fields has improved his footwork since arriving in Pittsburgh.
"He just had to focus on his footwork in the pocket," Tomlin said. "Body balance. Posture in which he throws from has been a point of emphasis for him going into the offseason. And I've just seen the fruit of that labor from the attention he's given it."
To Tomlin's note about weighing the pregame reps versus practice reps, Fields will get a "couple of series" with the Steelers' starting unit on Friday against the Texans in the preseason. Tomlin announced Wilson will not play with an injury, presumably the calf tightness he experienced early in training camp.
Can Fields come away with an edge in the competition from Friday's preseason game against the Texans? His performance will hold significant weight in the team's decision, as Tomlin mentioned.