Getty Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
The Chicago Bears were entirely uninvolved in a trade between two teams situated on the East Coast Friday, though they could end up winners in the deal regardless.
The Pittsburgh Steelers sent QB Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles on March 15 to assume the role of backup behind Jalen Hurts, which Marcus Mariota vacated by accepting a deal from the Washington Commanders via free agency earlier this week. The move erased Philly as a potential trade destination for Bears starter Justin Fields, though it rendered Pittsburgh frontrunners for the former first-round pick, assuming the Steelers are interested in his services.
With Kenny Pickett being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, now the perfect spot for Justin Fields is in Pittsburgh if the Chicago Bears trade him. Compete with and sit behind Russ for a year, get a reset and be their dynamic QB of the future.
“With Kenny Pickett being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, now the perfect spot for Justin Fields is in Pittsburgh if the Chicago Bears trade him,” ESPN analyst and former NFL QB Robert Griffin III posted to X. “Compete with and sit behind Russ for a year, get a reset and be their dynamic QB of the future.”
Justin Fields Makes Sense in Pittsburgh Behind Russell Wilson
GettyQuarterback Russell Wilson, formerly of the Denver Broncos, is in line to start for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.
The “Russ” to whom Griffin referred is Russell Wilson — the nine-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos.
The Steelers signed Wilson to a $1.21 million league-minimum deal earlier this week after the Broncos chose to cut him with three years remaining on his contract, which projected to cost Denver $39 million this season. The Broncos will now pay Wilson just shy of $38 million in 2024, as the Steelers’ check to the QB will come off Denver’s tab.
The financial situation made the decision an easy one for Pittsburgh, as the 35-year-old Wilson actually played fairly well last season, completing nearly 67% of his passes for north of 3,000 yards and 26 TDs compared to just 8 INTs in 15 starts. That said, Wilson is an unlikely long-term solution because of his age and the resulting deterioration of a unique skill set that made him one of the NFL’s best QBs for so long.
Wilson could be back in Pittsburgh again in 2025 if he plays well, but the Steelers signed him to a one-year deal for a reason — to maintain flexibility under center moving forward. Part of that flexibility could easily include a trade for Fields, as the franchise was among the quarterback’s three or four most likely destinations as listed by most NFL analysts in the weeks leading up to free agency.
After trading Pickett and Mason Rudolph’s departure to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, Wilson is the only quarterback currently on the Steelers’ depth chart.
Justin Fields Offers Steelers Second Starting-Caliber QB at Affordable Cost
GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears.
Pittsburgh owns the No. 20 pick in this year’s draft and could look to a rookie there, but Fields remains a viable option whether Pittsburgh decides to go with a QB in the first round or not.
Fields will play next season, the final of his four-year rookie deal worth $18.9 million total, for a salary of just $3.2 million. The Steelers can add Fields along with Wilson, roster two 2023 starters for a combined cost of approximately $4.4 million, add a first-round rookie and still invest far less financial capital in the game’s most important/expensive position than most competitive teams in the league.
Pittsburgh would need to make a decision on a $25.7 million fifth-year team option for Fields by early May, but the choice to exercise that option will less strenuous for the Steelers given their current spending at the position. The Steelers also face less risk by declining the option and letting Fields become a free agent in 2025 considering the lack of a trade market for him thus far this offseason.
The Steelers probably won’t need to part with more than a third- or fourth-round pick to acquire Fields at this point, potentially with a condition or two that could increase the asset’s value were Fields to play a certain number of snaps or the like.
Justin Fields Previously Noted as Good Fit With Steelers New OC Arthur Smith
GettyFormer Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith is the new offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Finally, there is the Arthur Smith connection to consider.
Pittsburgh hired Smith to run its offense following his ouster by the Atlanta Falcons, where he spent the last three years as head coach. Several analysts considered Fields a fit with the Falcons, both before and after the team fired Smith.
If Fields were to become the Steelers backup behind Wilson, he would immediately earn the moniker of top second-string QB in the NFL.