The Steelers swung a trade to acquire quarterback Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears last month, but Fields probably won’t start at the onset of 2024.
The Steelers signed Russell Wilson before they traded for him, so Fields will almost surely begin next season as Wilson’s backup.
However, Pittsburgh only signed Wilson to a one-year deal, so it may view Fields as its quarterback of the future.
Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette thinks the Steelers could extend Fields.
“They won’t during the season,” Dulac wrote of a potential Fields extension. “They will re-visit with Wilson after the season. That is the intention of both parties. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did something sooner with Fields.”
Pittsburgh landed Fields for the small cost of a conditional sixth-round draft pick, so there was minimal risk in acquiring him.
Fields, who played his collegiate football at Ohio State, was selected by the Bears with the 11th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
While he has shown some flashes of brilliance, the first three years of Fields’ career have largely been marred and defined by inconsistency.
This past season, Fields threw for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions, completing 61.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 86.3 in 13 games (he missed four contests due to a dislocated thumb). He also rushed for 657 yards and four scores.
The Steelers’ best chance to win is probably with Wilson, who had a solid bounceback year with the Denver Broncos after a miserable 2022.
However, if Wilson falters next season, you have to wonder if Pittsburgh may go to Justin Fields sooner rather than later.
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