Mark Madden: Russell Wilson offers Steelers a reliable presence at QB; Justin Fields doesn't

Once his calf is totally healed, and he’s taking regular snaps, and the 100% fabricated battle for the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback job is over, Russell Wilson will be the team’s saving grace.

If there’s anything to be made of the team’s 2024 season, Wilson will do it.

Not the $160 million defense.

Not T.J. Watt and his 97 rating in Madden 25.

Not Oppenheimer’s offense, which is mostly old disguised as new.

Justin Fields and his unrealized talent will be nailed to the bench.

Wilson will get the Steelers to wherever they’re capable of going for two simple reasons: Quarterback is the most important position in football, and Wilson knows how to play it.

Quarterback isn’t a position of immense physical gifts, although those certainly help.

Quarterback is cerebral.

At 35, some of Wilson’s physical gifts have diminished. But his football IQ remains sharp.

Wilson rushed for 38 first downs last year. On just 80 rushing attempts.

In tight situations, Wilson knows where the sticks are and what to do.

Wilson threw 20 touchdowns and just one interception in the red zone last season. He knows where the end zone is, too.

Wilson isn’t in his prime. But he’s no bum.

So far, Fields is a bum.

Fields won’t come to Pittsburgh from Chicago and turn it around. (Mitch Trubisky sure didn’t.) Fields was a first-round flop with the Bears. A turnover machine. Thirty interceptions and 38 fumbles in 40 games.

His skill set lends itself to the occasional impressive moment, not least in practice.

But Fields doesn’t know how to play quarterback at the NFL level. He’s 25. What’s his learning curve at this point?

Kenny Pickett doesn’t know how to play quarterback at the NFL level, either. The Steelers replaced one first-round bust with another.

If Fields has to play, all will be revealed. Just like with Pickett.

That’s what makes the fictionalized quarterback competition at Steelers camp so laughable: The decision, which has long since been made, is obvious. Fields is potential that hasn’t much been realized and likely won’t be. Wilson is polished, professional and knowledgeable.

Wilson won’t lose games. In Chicago, Fields often did.

Wilson might not be great. But he won’t stink.

Fields has great potential to do the latter. He’s done it before. (Not that Wilson was any bouquet of roses during the first of his two seasons at Denver. But he was good last year.)

Fields’ upside hasn’t been displayed often enough to be worth the risk.

Wilson will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday. Fields will be on the scrap heap along with Pickett.

Wilson might be president someday, too. He’s been running for office ever since he arrived in Pittsburgh. His mouth should be in a circus.

The biggest position of interest at Saint Vincent College isn’t quarterback. It’s wide receiver.

Nobody has yet stepped forward to be a legit No. 2 wideout behind George Pickens.

We don’t yet know if Pickens can handle the coverage and pressure of being a clear-cut No. 1.

We’re told that, in Oppenheimer’s offense, TE1 will be the new WR2. If that’s true, who’s the new TE1? How much more will Pat Freiermuth do? It has to be more than last year’s 32 catches. Yuck.

If the Steelers fail because they lack at wide receiver, coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan should be heavily criticized for trading Diontae Johnson without a legit Plan B at wideout.

Ditching Johnson because of perceived bad attitude is understandable. Doing so in a snit and leaving Van Jefferson as his replacement is rotten management.