Russell Wilson vs. Justin Fields: Which one gives the Steelers the best chance to win in 2024?

The Pittsburgh Steelers somehow managed to land both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields during the first week of free agency. Pittsburgh has completely revamped their quarterback room and will go forward with a nine-time Pro Bowler and a former first-round pick with untapped potential.

Fields has reportedly been told by the Steelers that Wilson is their starting quarterback, so there will be no position battle between the two. (Saturday morning, NFL Media reported that Mike Tomlin personally told Wilson that he’s the starter.) But is Wilson really the better option?

Fields, not Wilson, gives the Steelers the best chance to win in 2024, according to CBS Sports data scientist Stephen Oh. According to Oh, the Steelers’ chances at making the playoffs rose from 25.6% with Wilson starting to 35.9% with Fields under center.

While Oh feels that Fields is the answer, let’s go through several other categories to determine who should be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2024.

Experience

Wilson has a clear edge here. His 204 career starts are more than five times the amount of games Fields has started in the NFL. Wilson has 124 wins under his belt and nearly as many playoff wins (nine) as Fields has in career regular reasons wins (10).

Experience buys you a lot of advantages in the NFL. Wilson has seen pretty much everything a quarterback can see on a football field. He’s had experience running several different offenses, which should help him get adjusted to yet another new one in 2024.

Wilson also has a keen understanding of the ebbs and flows of an NFL season. Having a veteran who can provide perspective and a level head is never a bad thing to have on your side.

Advantage: Wilson

Read the full CBS Sports article.