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With Russell Wilson taking over as the clear starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, it seems more and more likely that Justin Fields will leave the organization for a new opportunity in 2025 NFL free agency.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes that the Indianapolis Colts could be the “perfect” fit for both Fields and the AFC South franchise.
“The Colts would be foolish to give up on Anthony Richardson any time soon,” Ballentine first acknowledged on December 16. “He’s still going to have his downturns and regressions, but he was always projected to be something of a long-term project.”
“However, the Colts need to bring in a backup that has a similar skill set so the offense doesn’t have to change if he gets injured,” the NFL analyst went on. Adding that “Justin Fields would be the perfect target.”
“Fields might be settling into the career backup role after excelling at the job in Pittsburgh,” Ballentine explained. “He’s athletic enough to run all of the quarterback run game that the Colts feature with Richardson and a good enough passer to get by.”
Steelers’ Justin Fields Seen in a Similar Light as Vikings QB Sam Darnold in 2024
Fields won’t necessarily be guaranteed a starting gig in 2025, but many have projected that he could land a sort of bridge contract similar to Sam Darnold last offseason.
“Fields and [Jameis] Winston could fit into the bridge quarterback tier that makes roughly $10 million,” The Athletic’s Dan Duggan noted on December 19.
It’s no coincidence that Duggan estimated the exact figure that the Minnesota Vikings paid Darnold in 2024. A former first-round QB, similar to Fields, Darnold was initially brought in to serve as a bridge starter for a rookie quarterback.
The Vikings later traded up to select J.J. McCarthy in round one of the NFL draft, and the expectation was that McCarthy would take over as the starter at some point this year. Unfortunately, the rookie suffered a knee injury during the preseason that required surgery.
And with the McCarthy sidelined, Darnold has thrived.
Fields might look for a similar type of situation this spring, either with a franchise expected to draft a quarterback — like the New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders — or a more unsettled QB room with an unproven prospect that’s struggling to hold onto his starting job.
The Colts would fit the latter description, as Ballentine pointed out, and Fields could make a lot of sense as an insurance policy for Richardson should he falter again in 2025.
Steelers Already Have Justin Fields Replacement on the Roster Behind Russell Wilson
According to most beat reporters covering the team, the Steelers are expected to extend Wilson following the 2024 campaign — barring injury. Having said that, Pittsburgh must also take care of their backup quarterback situation.
With Fields most likely pricing out elsewhere in free agency, the Steelers would be wise to re-sign third-string QB Kyle Allen after the season.
The veteran signal-caller is already very familiar with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system, and he’s proven that he can be a serviceable backup when called upon in 2024. Plus, he should be a lot less expensive than Fields.
Allen only received $167,500 from the Steelers in guaranteed money in 2024, per Over the Cap. The full value of his one-year deal is slightly north of $1.29 million.
A career journeyman, Allen has also never made more than $2.5 million per season throughout his time in the NFL. Surely, the Steelers would have to give him a minor raise from the third-string contract he received in 2024, but $2 to $3 million should get it done — if not less.
Pittsburgh would then open the 2025 campaign with a stable QB room led by Wilson and Allen.
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Steelers’ Justin Fields Called ‘Perfect Target’ for AFC Team With Unproven QB