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Brooke Pryor, ESPN Staff Writer
LATROBE, Pa. — Despite being very limited with a calf injury during the first half of training camp, quarterback Russell Wilson is ahead of Justin Fields for the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ starting quarterback job, coach Mike Tomlin said Wednesday.
The Steelers released their first depth chart Tuesday night, listing Wilson as the starter and Fields second.
“You guys saw the depth chart that I released yesterday,” Tomlin said. “That is real.”
Wilson, however, won’t participate in Friday’s preseason game against the Houston Texans. Fields and the first-team offense will play “a couple series,” Tomlin said, and it will be another opportunity for Fields to gain ground on Wilson.
“I think everything is an audition,” Tomlin said. “Everything that we do is an audition not only for him but for others.”
In addition to Wilson, T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Alex Highsmith, Isaac Seumalo, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Patrick Queen will not participate in Friday night’s game, Tomlin said, citing both veteran status and minor training camp injuries.
Wilson, who previously didn’t play in any preseason game in 2022 during his first year in Denver, accepted Tomlin’s decision not to play him Friday but said he’ll be ready to go if called upon.
“I’m prepared to play,” Wilson said. “I know that. So it’s whatever coach’s decision [is]. Obviously he’s the boss man that gets to make the decisions on that, but I’ll be ready to go.
“There’s been several [preseasons] where I haven’t played, so it’s nothing new. I think I’ve been fortunate to play, I don’t know, 200 games or something like that. I don’t know how many it is now. So I know what it looks like, I know the speed of it.”
While Wilson has continued to hold the top spot at the position despite the calf injury, Tomlin said he still views it as a competition.
“Very much is a competition,” Tomlin said. “What happens in stadium is weighted heavier than what happens in a practice.”
Tomlin also said he’s not concerned about Wilson’s lack of first-team reps.
Wilson was an onlooker for most team periods through the first 10 practices of training camp, but he ramped up his participation Tuesday, taking four reps in the team’s “seven shots” drill, handing the ball off three times and throwing one touchdown pass to George Pickens. He completed another pass to Pickens during an 11-on-11 period.
“A lot of it is trusting the doctors and the trainers,” Wilson said of the process working him back into practice. “Then obviously every morning I’m getting up super early, training and getting ready to rock and roll. We try to be really smart about how much I’m doing every day, but we’re pushing it too.
“I’m the kind of guy that wants to go all the time, and Coach Tomlin, he’ll just pull you back a little bit. So I think that balance is really good.”
With Wilson limited, Fields has taken the bulk of the first-team reps in team periods and walkthroughs.
“I’m just trying to take advantage of each and every rep that I get,” Fields said. “I know that if he wasn’t hurt, then I wouldn’t be in this position. So it’s just opportunities for me. I’m just trying to take full advantage of it, to be honest with you, but I’m trying to just approach every practice the same, get better each and every day and just build that chemistry.”
Fields has been impressive in his connection with Pickens and wide receiver Van Jefferson and challenged the Steelers’ defense with his running ability.
“I think he just comes to compete every day,” Tomlin said of Fields. “He’s got an awesome competitive spirit. We 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 to his teammates and letting his talent show.”
The Steelers have also been in contact with the San Francisco 49ers as a potential trade partner for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, sources told ESPN.
Asked about the potential of adding any additional players to the wide receiver room, Tomlin didn’t offer any insight.
“I’ll let you guys speculate on that,” he said with a grin.
Tomlin was also asked during a radio interview if he had any early calls Wednesday morning.
“It’s a little early on the west side,” he said.
