Getty Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is a big fan of Justin Fields
If the Pittsburgh Steelers decide they want to pursue an upgrade at quarterback during the 2024 NFL offseason, head coach Mike Tomlin might already have a preference for who the team should get. It seems he has a soft spot for Justin Fields.
The Chicago Bears QB is expected to be on the move during the offseason and could be the answer the Steelers are looking for at the position.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that Tomlin is a “big fan” of the young quarterback.
“We know that Pittsburgh is going to go out and get some type of quarterback. Whether that’s Ryan Tannehill, whether that’s Russell Wilson, whether that’s Justin Fields,” Schefter said. “Justin Fields, I know Mike Tomlin’s a big fan of Justin Fields. We’ll keep that in mind during the offseason and the coming weeks.”
Fields should get some interest during the offseason after playing the best season of his career in 2023.
Fields’ Best Season Yet
The Bears entered the 2023 offseason faced with a huge decision as they owned the top pick in the draft.
They were left to choose between holding onto the pick and grabbing the top quarterback prospect or trading the pick and building around Fields.
They went with the second option, trading the pick to Panthers in exchange for a haul of picks and players.
They were rewarded with improved play from their QB.
Despite missing four games because of an injury, Fields set a career high in passing yards and won the most games of his career.
He went 5-8 as the team’s starter and the Bears won seven total games.
Fields had the best completion percentage of his career and also set a career-low for interception percentage.
Unfortunately for the QB, it doesn’t look like that is going to be enough for him to hold onto his job this time around.
Thanks to last year’s trade with the Panthers, the Bears own the top pick in the draft again and are expected to use it to select Caleb Williams.
That pick will open up an opportunity for a quarterback-needy team to land one that was once expected to be a franchise QB.
Steelers Would Face Competition
If the Steelers decide that Fields is the quarterback they need for the 2024 season, they would likely have to fend off some other suitors to get him thanks to his 2023 performance and remaining time on his rookie deal.
The Raiders won eight games during the 2023 in spite of their quarterback play. Their QBs combined for just 19 touchdown passes while also throwing 18 interceptions. Four of those TDs came in their 63-21 demolition of a struggling Chargers team that fired their coach afterwards.
The eight wins and the team’s success under new head coach Antonio Pierce will give the organization hope that the team can make a playoff push in 2024.
That will only happen if they get a QB upgrade. With the 13th pick in the draft, the Raiders won’t be able to get a QB that will be able to contribute immediately.
That will leave them looking for veteran options and Fields could be the one they pursue, especially after they hired Luke Getsy as their offensive coordinator.
The Atlanta Falcons are another team that could put in a bid for Fields. They have invested heavily in talent to put around their quarterback over the last few years.
Unfortunately, they haven’t found a QB that can bring the best out of those weapons. The Falcons won seven games in 2023 despite their quarterback shortcomings and could also find themselves looking at Fields as an option to make a playoff push.
The Broncos could also enter the chase for Fields if they actually move on from Russell Wilson.
Even the Patriots could be a surprise option depending on how they feel about the prospects available to them in the draft.
If the Steelers want Fields, they aren’t going to have to give up a ton to get him, but it still might not be easy to land him.