Mr Inactive: Russell Wilson's absence is great in every way but one for the Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson this past offseason expecting him to start. Those expectations quickly shifted as Wilson's calf injury knocked him out for each of the first three weeks, and set to be inactive again in Week 4.

During his absence, Justin Fields has been nothing but extraordinary in his first games as a Steeler. He has completed 73.3 percent of his passes while also posing as a threat on the ground, leading the Steelers to a 3-0 start. Fields playing as well as he has raises the question of whether Wilson will ever suit up for Pittsburgh.

Fields seemingly dethroning Wilson is great news for the Steelers for several reasons except for one in particular. What is now a sixth-round pick that the Steelers sent to the Chicago Bears to acquire Fields converts to a fourth-rounder if Fields plays in 51 percent or more of Pittsburgh's snaps.

Steelers will have to pay the price thanks to Justin Fields' emergence

Having to part with an early Day 3 pick instead of a very late one is a pretty big deal, but still, regardless of whichever pick they have to give up, the deal is a home run for Pittsburgh.

It has only been three games, but it's abundantly clear that Fields, in a new organization in front of a new coaching staff, is a new quarterback. No, he isn't asked to do too much, but has been as efficient as any quarterback in the NFL, and there's certainly room for some improvement too.

While both Fields and Wilson felt like uninspiring options for a Steelers team trying to make a deep run in the postseason entering the year, one thing that Fields offered that Wilson did not was the potential to be a future piece in Pittsburgh. He's just 25 years old and was taken in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. This is just his fourth NFL season.

Whether the Steelers got their quarterback of the future is up to Fields to prove, but he has clearly been a major upgrade over what they've had in recent years thus far, and regardless of whether they end up giving up a fourth or sixth-rounder, it's looking like a steal of a deal.