The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired Justin Fields for pennies on the dollar, exchanging a conditional sixth-round draft pick for the former Chicago Bears quarterback, which may be converted into a fourth-rounder if he meets playing-time requirements, but now face a difficult — and pricey — decision.
General manager Omar Khan and the Steelers must decide whether to exercise Fields’ fifth-year option by May 2.
Conventional wisdom would suggest that picking up the $25.7 million option would be an easy decision, amid a ballooning quarterback market and the fact that the 25-year-old Fields still has plenty of upside.
Plus, the Pittsburgh Steelers would essentially be buying one more season to decide whether to extend Justin Fields far below the going rate for starting quarterbacks across the league.
However, that’s not the path Pro Football Focus predicts the Pittsburgh Steelers will take with Justin Fields.
“The Steelers don’t have any quarterbacks under contract beyond 2024 as of today,” writes Brad Spielberger. “But pursuing Fields’ option still feels like a long shot.
“Fields could potentially replace Russell Wilson as the starting in 2024, at which point Pittsburgh could sign him to a bridge deal, franchise-tag him, or extend him to a huge contract. That outcome is more expensive than the option — potentially tenfold so — but it’s worth it to avoid the danger of exercising the option and things not going as planned.”
If Wilson falters, and Fields eventually supplants him as the starting quarterback, Fields would be in prime position to cash in in free agency, presumably with a far stronger market than the Bears experienced in their efforts to trade him.
Likewise, the franchise tag carried a $38.3 million price tag for quarterbacks in 2024 and should increase ahead of the 2025 offseason.
There’s always the chance that Wilson regains his All-Pro form, Fields never sees significant playing time, and Pittsburgh commits to Wilson, instead.
Choosing Fields’ choice, on the other hand, would provide a cheap, young foundation on which to develop. Similarly, exercising Fields’ option would not prevent the Steelers from picking a quarterback in 2025 while Fields serves as a bridge.
Khan has a steal at quarterback; how he manages Fields’ immediate future will reveal how the franchise perceives him, and Fields’ financial setback could factor into this season.
How Justin Fields Can Help Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback room figures to be one of the more fascinating preseason storylines across the NFL.
At least one AFC Executive believes regardless of who is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 1 starter, Justin Fields could play a meaningful impact in 2024.
“It’s a great situation the Steelers put themselves in this year,” an AFC Scouting Director tells me. “They upgraded significantly at the quarterback position and gave themselves two options with different skill sets. It should be a good competition, but they can use both quarterbacks if Russell gets back to close to the form he was in Seattle.”
Choosing Fields’ choice, on the other hand, would provide a cheap, young foundation on which to develop. Similarly, exercising Fields’ option would not prevent the Steelers from picking a quarterback in 2025 while Fields serves as a bridge.
Khan has a steal at quarterback; how he manages Fields’ immediate future will reveal how the franchise perceives him, and Fields’ financial setback could factor into this season.
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