Steelers veteran explains why he's confident in Russell Wilson

Veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is among individuals associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers warning outsiders that they shouldn't bet against quarterback Russell Wilson bouncing back following Wilson's rough two-season run with the Denver Broncos.

"I think his motivation is at an all-time high," Heyward said about Wilson during a Wednesday appearance on "The Jim Rome Show," as shared by Joe Clark of Steelers Depot. "Russ came in with the mindset to want to be the best he can. He's picked all of our brains and just understanding what it is to be a Pittsburgh Steeler."

After the Steelers acquired both Wilson and Justin Fields in March, the expectation was that the two would compete for Pittsburgh's starting job through August. While Wilson hasn't officially won the gig ahead of training camp, he reportedly ended the spring as "the undisputed leader of" the Steelers offense.

As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Wilson as the betting favorite at -750 odds over Fields (+450) to start Pittsburgh's Week 1 game at the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8.

"The thing I've loved the most is just how detailed he is throughout the day," Heyward added about Wilson. "When he steps into the building, there's no shortage of doing the little things and doing the extra things. Whether it's spending extra time with your receivers, going over film work, continue to just keep learning. It's like he's a student of the game."

Much was made before and after Wilson signed a team-friendly contract to join the Steelers about how game film from his Denver tenure seemingly shows he's past his prime and about how he allegedly "couldn't manage or handle" the offense run by Broncos head coach Sean Payton last season. It's still early days into the Steelers' quarterback experiment, but Wilson's teammates sound excited about what the offense could achieve this fall.

"[Wilson] and Justin are gonna provide a really good punch in our QB room," Heyward declared on Wednesday.

That last line is interesting considering whispers continue to suggest that the Steelers could start Wilson but also utilize special packages for Fields when the games begin to matter in September.