When the Steelers acquired quarterback Justin Fields via trade with the Chicago Bears this offseason, it was with the idea they could potentially fix some flaws in his footwork to make him a more efficient passer.
The results two weeks into training camp have been positive.
Fields has looked much more accurate than a quarterback who completed just 60.3 percent of his passes in his first three NFL seasons with the Bears.
"He just had a focus on his footwork in the pocket, body balance, posture in which he throws from it's been a point of emphasis for him going into the off season, and I've just seen the fruit of that labor, or the attention that he's given it," said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
Fields will get an opportunity to put that on display in Friday night's preseason opener against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium.
The question might arise how a quarterback who completed 68.4 percent of his college passes, including 70.2 percent his final season at Ohio State, might have struggled with some accuracy issues in the NFL.
The issue might have been twofold.
First, Fields' receivers at Ohio State were the likes of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jameson Williams. All were first-round draft picks in the NFL. They also had an excellent offensive line.
His guys were just better than the defensive backs and pass rushers against which they worked.
But also, because Chicago's receivers were underwhelming Fields' first couple of seasons in the NFL, he perhaps became over-reliant on his legs. In his final season at Ohio State, Fields averaged less than 50 rushing yards per game.
He could run, but he didn't need to run.
With the Bears lacking receivers – at least until trading for D.J. Moore last season – Fields was often asked to make one read and take off with Chicago. Thus, he ran 1,143 yards in just 15 games in 2022, an average of 76.2 yards per game.
When you're running that much, it's easy for your mechanics, especially your lower body mechanics, to get a little off kilter. The feet are always moving.
And when you're the starting quarterback for your team, you might not have the time necessary to fix them – certainly not in season, when each week is spent preparing for the next opponent.
New quarterbacks coach Tom Arth deserves a good deal of credit for helping Fields improve.
Another person who can be credited is fellow quarterback Russell Wilson.
"He's always throwing in new ideas," Fields told College2Pro.com. "Of course, when he is going through drops and throwing, I'm always trying to pick up tips and asking him why he does certain footwork with certain routes."
Whatever Fields is doing and however he is doing it, he needs to continue down that path. He's grown much more accurate as training camp has worn on.
• It remains to be seen just how much new inside linebacker Patrick Queen will play in the Steelers' preseason opener tonight against the Houston Texans, but another new linebacker, rookie Payton Wilson, should play a lot.
The Steelers haven't been afraid to put a lot on Wilson's plate throughout the offseason and even into training camp. In many cases, it would be a situation where you throw the young player into the deep water and see if he sinks or swims.
That hasn't been a concern with Wilson.
"There's no deep water for him. He understands the packages. He understands the play calls. He understands the motions, the shifts. He's a communicator," said Steelers linebacker coach Aaron Curry of the third-round draft pick. "I wouldn't say it's deep water for him."
Wilson, the 2023 Dick Butkus and Chuck Bednarik award winner as college football's best linebacker and defender, is rare in that way.
"Yes. Very rare," Curry admitted. "But as much time as he has spent studying, as many questions he likes to ask, I'm not surprised at all. He knows exactly what's going on."
• Ask Curry about what stands out about the Steelers' inside linebacker group, and the answer is a simple one – speed.
In Patrick Queen and Wilson, the Steelers have two of the fastest off-ball linebackers in the NFL.
"Speed handles a lot of situations, a lot of issues," Curry said. "Watching those fast guys run around, it eliminates plays. It's a benefit to our defense."
There is a theory that says if you're slow at inside linebacker, you have a slow defense. There's nothing slow about the Steelers defense this season.
Not only were Queen and Wilson added, but so was cornerback Donte Jackson, one of the faster cornerbacks in the NFL. Even rookie Beanie Bishop, who is currently atop the depth chart at nickel cornerback, ran a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash this spring.
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast
One of the knocks on the Steelers defense a year ago was that while it was technically sound, it wasn't necessarily fast. That's no longer the case.
• The NFL did the Steelers a favor this preseason – likely without meaning to do so.
The Steelers face Houston, Buffalo and Detroit this preseason, starting with Friday night's game against the Texans at Acrisure Stadium.
Those are three high-quality teams with high aspirations for 2024.
The Steelers also have high aspirations. What better way to test yourself than against other good teams who also happen to have depth?
• It's now just under one month until the Steelers open their season Sept. 8 against the Falcons in Atlanta.
But the mood with the Steelers has been good.
This team feels like it is going to be good. And it has approached everything it has done this offseason with that in mind.
Nobody has been over the top with any predictions or crazy talk. The Steelers have just quietly gone about their business, comfortably flying under the radar.
There's been no drama. No hold-ins. No complaining about contracts or anything of the sort. It's been all-business, all the time.
