Getty The Pittsburgh Steelers are interested in Justin Fields after trading Kenny Pickett
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2024 offseason with a major need for improved quarterback play.
As a result, they were linked to just about every notable quarterback that was expected to be available this offseason.
Last weekend, they actually landed one of those QBs, signing Russell Wilson to a one-year deal.
After signing Wilson, they made an even more surprising move at the position. They traded Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles.
With Pickett no longer on the roster, the team now needs to find themselves somebody to back Wilson up.
They could want that QB to be one of the other notable names they’ve been linked to this offseason.
Steelers Now’s Nick Farabaugh reported that sources have said the Steelers have legitimate interest in exploring a deal to acquire Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields.
The Steelers’ Shifting QB Situation
Things have changed very quickly in the Steelers’ quarterback room this offseason.
The team’s first set of cuts included Mitch Trubisky, who was the team’s third string quarterback.
However, it seemed the team still wouldn’t be making many other big moves at the position this offseason as the expectation had become that Pickett would start and they’d just bring in a veteran as pre-season competition.
That changed quickly when Wilson officially became available.
The Steelers quickly went out and got him to be their starter in 2024.
That seemed to settle things in their QB room.
Wilson would be the starter in 2024. Pickett would take a year to develop on the bench and in a year the team would revisit their QB situation.
It turns out it wasn’t that simple.
After trading Pickett, the team no longer has any of their top 3 QBs from the 2023 season.
The moves have certainly put them in a better position than they were in at the start of the offseason.
As a team, the Steelers have thrown 25 touchdown passes in the last two seasons. Wilson threw 26 in 2023.
However, the team now finds themselves in a position where they still need to find a backup QB, but with a lot less options out there than there were a week ago.
That could lead them to try and be the team that benefits from what has seemingly been a weak trade market for Fields.
Justin Fields’ Trade Market
Since the Bears officially ended up with the first pick in this year’s draft, Fields has been seen as a trade candidate.
The team already traded away the first pick last season to get Fields a star receiver and improve the protection in front of him.
They were rewarded with seven wins.
Now they’re back in the same situation in 2024 and it seems unlikely they’ll be passing on the first pick to keep Fields as their starter again.
However, the team is a bit low on options for trade partners.
Most of the league’s QB-needy teams have already filled their need.
Wilson is in Pittsburgh. The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins. The Raiders signed Gardner Minshew. Even the Vikings got Sam Darnold.
Just about all of the other teams with a vacancy are going to fill it in the draft.
The Broncos are still out there, but Fields isn’t any better of a fit with Sean Payton than Wilson was.
At this point, the Bears could have to find a trade partner that wants Fields as a backup, but that really limits his value, especially when this is his last year making rookie money.
That presents a risk for any team that might be interested, but maybe the Steelers could be the team that takes that risk as a potential insurance plan at the position.