The appointment of Mike Tomlin as offensive coordinator will be crucial to Pittsburgh’s offensive identity, according to Lombardo. “But having an improved offensive line to throw to in addition to bruising backs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris in the backfield, along with George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth to throw to, could be just what Fields needs to realize his full potential as a star.”
Fields has completed 64.4% of passes in eight games this season. He also has an average of 7.1 yards per attempt, 12 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.
A week ago, Lombardo would have had a much easier time persuading Steelers supporters that the team ought to be involved in a possible Fields sweepstakes.
Matt Canada, the fired offensive coordinator, took a lot of heat for quarterback Derek Brock’s lackluster play during his first 1.5 seasons in the league. Pickett’s first performance without Canada seemed to make a strong case for that accusation.
Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12, Pickett passed for 278 yards, which is a career high in a winning effort. A season-high 72.7% of his passes were completed, and he averaged 8.4 yards per attempt.
Pickett also increased his run of games without an interception to seven.
Under new offensive coordinator Eddie Faulker and play caller Mike Sullivan, if Pickett keeps up his strong play, the Steelers won’t be competing for a quarterback.
On November 29, Lombardo was joined by ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky in discussing Fields and the Steelers together.
The idea that the Steelers might trade for Fields was not mentioned by Orlovsky. On X, formerly Twitter, he asserted Fields’ superiority over Pickett.
“I still think ‘play maker’ when I watch Fields,” Orlovsky wrote on X.
“Yes, I would like to see him play more steadily and methodically and improve at the little things that come with being the quarterback, but even today he improves the QB play of the Jets, Pats, Steelers, Raiders, Giants, Vikings, Falcons, Saints, and Bucs.”
