Pittsburgh Steelers Name Russell Wilson the Starter
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00:00Lots of injuries, of course, Adam, as usual, as we get close to the start of the year.
00:08The Steelers are dealing with several of them, along with, of course, yesterday Tomlin naming
00:14Russell Wilson as their starter for week one.
00:16Yeah, let's get started before we get to the injuries with Russell Wilson.
00:19I could just tell from being there.
00:21I mentioned Pharrell here on Coast to Coast, been with them for two days.
00:27You just see the difference and the calming influence that Russell Wilson has around the
00:31football team.
00:32He's willing to make tough throws where Justin Fields doesn't really process all that well.
00:37Really good athlete.
00:38And what you're going to see with Justin Fields is they're going to use him potentially in
00:41a third down and short, sort of a change-up quarterback, maybe runs certain formations.
00:46This will give the defense something else to think about.
00:50And we've seen this before with Arthur Smith, with Marcus Mariota, when Mariota and Smith
00:55worked together in Atlanta.
00:57But bottom line is, Russell Wilson's going to be the starter week one and probably going
01:00for it for a while.
01:01Now, at some point, if Russell Wilson isn't playing well or they're eliminated from the
01:05playoffs late in the season, that's certainly when you can see Justin Fields take over.
01:08But updating some injury situations, let's get to their offensive line, which Mike, when
01:12they face those Falcons in week one in Atlanta, a week from this Sunday, they've got a lot
01:17of injuries.
01:18Fitanu, their first-round pick-right tackle, has got an MCL sprain.
01:21Started working this week.
01:22They're pretty hopeful he'll be able to play.
01:24But you don't like that a rookie misses part of training camp.
01:27That worries me a little bit.
01:29When you look at the interior of their offensive line, this is a problem.
01:34They just lost one of their guards due to a pectoral strain.
01:38That worries me.
01:39Nate Herbig, his brother Nick, who's on defense, Nate's out for the season with that torn rotator
01:46cuff.
01:47So that worries me.
01:48Isaac Sayamala, who I was talking about, former Eagles offensive lineman, who was the highest-graded
01:52offensive lineman, I'm told, from last season.
01:55He's the guy who's got the pectoral strain.
01:57So they're down and deaf, certainly on the offensive line.
01:59Your brother Jones didn't play well, their first-round pick from last season.
02:02So they've got to get that going, I'm told, with Rowan Wilson.
02:06So that lingering ankle injury, I'm told, we could update this.
02:08This is actually a high-ankle sprain.
02:10That's why he's not back yet.
02:12He's working very limited this week.
02:15It's going to be touch-and-go whether he could be available for week one against Atlanta.
02:18Look for Van Jefferson, another former Atlanta Falcon, and a former first-round, excuse me,
02:24second-round pick for the Rams some years ago.
02:27He should be able to start week one.
02:28He had a great training camp.
02:29That's why he made it.
02:30I'm told they love his veteran influence.
02:32He almost certainly will start week one, and they'll work Rowan Wilson in when he's ready
02:35to go.
02:36But they're really bagged up.
02:38That does worry me for week one.
02:41You're in Atlanta where it's going to be loud.
02:43That worries me with communication with the offensive line.
02:45Let's not forget, Mike, Russell Wilson is the new starting quarterback with these guys.
02:49That does worry me for that week one matchup.