Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) is in line for his fifth straight start on Sunday while Russell Wilson continues to rehab his injured calf.
Darron Cummings | AP photo
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PITTSBURGH — Russell Wilson ‘s balky right calf is improving. It just might not heal in time for him to wrest the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback job away from Justin Fields, at least in the short term.
Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday he expects Wilson to see an uptick in his workload during practice this week, though Fields is expected to get the nod for a fifth straight week when Pittsburgh (3-1) hosts Dallas (2-2) on Sunday night.
The 35-year-old Wilson hasn’t played since aggravating a calf injury shortly before the season opener in Atlanta. The Steelers have brought the nine-time Pro Bowler along slowly. He felt good enough to throw during 7-on-7 drills with the scout team but it’s still uncertain when Wilson could get cleared to be a full participant.
“We will evaluate his ability to move and function and protect himself and obviously evaluate his level of productivity,” Tomlin said. “And we’ll let that be our guide in terms of whether we get into serious consideration as we push forward toward game time this week.”
Tomlin has deflected questions for weeks about whether Fields has done enough to earn the starting gig outright. He did it again Tuesday, though a little less emphatically than before.
Asked if there’s a chance he could stick with Fields as the “hot hand” much in the same fashion he did with Mason Rudolph at the end of last season as Kenny Pickett recovered from ankle surgery, Tomlin opened the door a bit.
“There’s a potential for that,” he said. “But we’re not there as I stand here today.”
That time is fast approaching, however, especially if Fields continues to improve as the weeks pass. Fields wasn’t mistake-free in a 27-24 loss to Indianapolis on Sunday, but impressed Tomlin with the way he responded after a fumble early in the second half. Fields led Pittsburgh on three straight touchdown drives to get within striking distance on a day he finished with 367 yards of total offense (312 passing, 55 rushing) and three touchdowns total (one passing, two on the ground).
“I just think when you’re in those moments, you get an opportunity to show who you are in those moments (so) there’s less speculation,” Tomlin said. “And so some things that I was speculating about somewhat last week about his steady demeanor, about his competitiveness and so forth, just got solidified and verified with the challenges that we faced.”
Fields is completing 67% of his passes with three touchdowns and one interception through four games. His 98.0 quarterback rating is 10th among players who have started each game and his rushing total against the Colts was a team high. He’s also growing more aggressive as he gets more comfortable running first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme.
Tomlin pointed to the length of the season still to go as one of the reasons the Steelers have not tried to rush Wilson back, particularly as he deals with a calf problem that’s been bothering him since the first day of training camp. Wilson is no longer the scrambler he was a decade ago, and Pittsburgh’s offensive line is dealing with a string of injuries, the latest an Achilles tendon tear to right guard James Daniels on Sunday that ended Daniels’ season.
The Steelers are optimistic veteran Isaac Seumalo — out since late August with a pectoral injury — will be able to return against Dallas. The rest of the line will feature first or second-year players at three of the other four positions. It won’t be enough for Wilson to merely be able to plant and throw. He’s going to have to show the coaching staff he can get out of harm’s way while also being able to run the entirety of the offense without limitations to receive “serious consideration” to play, Tomlin said.
It may take some time for Wilson to get to that point. If Fields avoids any major setbacks, by the time Wilson is healthy it may be too late to stay atop the depth chart.
Asked if there’s anything specific Fields can do to convince Tomlin he’s the better option than a healthy Wilson, Tomlin just smiled.
“Just play well,” he said. “Win. That’s our business.”
• LB Alex Highsmith (groin) will miss a second straight game.
• RBs Jaylen Warren (knee) and Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) could be limited during the early portion of the week.
• LB Nick Herbig and DT Keanu Benton could also be limited early in the week.
ADAMS ON THE BLOCK
HENDERSON, Nev. — Davante Adams said on his weekly spot on the “Up and Adams Show” that he hadn’t heard from Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce since a screenshot appeared of Pierce appearing to like a social media post about possibly trading the Raiders star wide receiver.
Sports Illustrated writer Michael Fabiano posted on Instagram: “Don’t be surprised if Davante Adams has already played his last snap with the Raiders.”
“I keep my head down and keep doing my thing and let the chips fall where they may as it pertains to that,” Davante Adams told host Kay Adams. “But there’s been no communication with anybody from the team since that (post) became a thing. It’s kind of like the weekly, ‘What’s up with Tae?’ thing. There’s always some sort of drama, but at the end of the day 17 (his uniform number) doesn’t create any of it, so people can say what they want.”
NFL Network reported Adams requested that the Raiders trade him, and ESPN reported that the club has notified other teams it might be interested in dealing the receiver.
Adams’ name regularly comes up in trade rumors because his salary cap hit rises dramatically next year, and there is a question of whether the Raiders might want to acquire assets for a potential rebuild.
The trade talk “gets annoying for sure,” Davante Adams said on the show. “I’m one of those players that people like to talk about one way or the other.”
A hamstring injury kept Adams out of Sunday’s 20-16 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Pierce said Monday he didn’t have an update on whether the receiver would be back for Sunday’s game at the Denver Broncos, and Adams said on the show he didn’t know if he would be ready.
COWBOYS BANGED UP
FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys placed defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence on injured reserve with a foot injury Tuesday, sidelining their second-best pass rusher behind Micah Parsons for at least four games.
The Cowboys filled Lawrence’s roster spot by signing defensive end K.J. Henry off Cincinnati’s practice squad. Parsons is also expected to miss Dallas’ game Sunday night at Pittsburgh with a sprained ankle.
Lawrence and Parsons were injured in the second half of last week’s 20-15 victory at the New York Giants. Dallas’ open week falls during Lawrence’s first four weeks on IR.
It’s just the second significant injury in the past eight seasons for Lawrence, who struggled with injuries early in his career. The 32-year-old’s streak of 44 consecutive starts will end against the Steelers.
Rookie second-round draft pick Marshawn Kneeland and veterans Carl Lawson and Chauncey Golston were the other defensive ends besides Lawrence and Parsons to get snaps against the Giants. Tyrus Wheat in on the 53-man roster but has been inactive the past two games.
Henry is a second-year player drafted in the fifth round by Washington in 2023. He was waived at the end of the preseason after playing 10 games for the Commanders last season. Henry played twice for the Bengals.