The Steelers might be leaning Justin Fields, but is Justin Fields leaning Steelers?
Since the dud that was the ending of the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers season, there has been one main question surrounding the fan base as the new league year approaches:
Who is going to be the quarterback in 2025?
In a season where the Steelers have to rebuild the entire quarterback room, it isn’t the best year to have to do that. The 2025 NFL Draft crop of quarterbacks is very top-heavy, and rather underwhelming. Outside of the draft crop, the signal callers set to be free agents are considered to be less-than-ideal options.
In other words, there are teams who have their quarterbacks and aren’t letting them go, and teams who continue their search for their franchise guy.
As for the Steelers, the goal always seemed to be simple. Sign one of the quarterbacks who was on the roster in 2024, those being Justin Fields or Russell Wilson.
Wilson’s struggles at the end of the season has fans clamoring for Fields, who quarterbacked the team to a 4-2 record, is younger, and most would consider having more upside, but the Steelers have remained mum on their decision. The Steelers could sign one of these two quarterbacks before the league year starts on March 10th, but does that make sense for the players? I wrote about this very topic last week, you can read it HERE.
With a week until the legal tampering period begins, there are rumors swirling around the Steelers potential direction at quarterback, and coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Steelers are thinking of Fields in “pole position” for their preferred quarterback in 2025.
This from Fowler:
“The sense I get is that Justin Fields has an edge over Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh’s free agent quarterback pecking order. There is sentiment for Fields in the building, and both sides would be open to a return. The Steelers have at least another week to crystallize those plans, and they certainly haven’t ruled out Wilson at this point.”
For a large sect of the fan base, this will make them very happy. The thought of a younger quarterback with plenty of upside, and being potentially cheaper, makes sense. But while the Steelers are thinking Fields is their guy, does Fields want to return? According to Fowler, Fields will have options with what team he plays for in 2025.
“Fields should have options. The Jets, for one, are expected to gauge his market. His skillset would fit in Chip Kelly’s scheme in Las Vegas, too.”
Are the Steelers willing to win a bidding war for a quarterback like Fields? Or, are they also prepared to potentially pay Fields more than what most would consider the market value for his services in 2025? Those are tough questions the Steelers will have to answer, but do they really have options?
If you believe Fields is the man they want, most would consider Russell Wilson their Plan B. It makes sense, but Wilson is also said to have a market for his services next season. Fowler cited the New York Giants as a potential option for Wilson if he doesn’t return to Pittsburgh next season.
“The Giants will be looking at all options at quarterback. They haven’t narrowed their focus yet, but expect them to gauge the market of all available QBs. Russell Wilson considers the Giants a potential option for him, should he fail to re-sign with Pittsburgh.”
As fans, there are times when we have a mental vision of how things could, or should, go as it pertains to how the operates, but it should be reiterated how these free agents have every right to choose their destination. History shows there are players who will take less money to go to a team who they feel gives them the best chance to succeed.
Will the Steelers get their guy, or will they be on the outside looking in? We’ll find out soon enough.
Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the new league year next week.
a true Pittsburgh Steelers fan, since the 70’s I don’t blame Justin Fields for leaving Justin Fields was wrongly benched for Russell Wilson has soon as he got healthy and wasn’t given a chance because the preseason was too short and Mike Tomlin was wrong for promising Russell Wilson the quarterback job but Justin Fields don’t sign with the New York Jets
Just so you know, I stop reading any post that starts with “A true Steelers fan,(sic) since the 70′(sic)s.”
I’ve also been a fan since the ’70s, but I don’t think that I need to open every post with that declaration, as if it somehow makes whatever comes after it any more on point, or gives my opinions more weight than those held what must be “unreal Steelers fans since sometime after the ’70s”
It might eventually come down less to which QB the Steelers want and more to which QB wants the Steelers.
Which is a scary proposition…
He’s stated he wanted to come back. That was probably the correct thing to say, but he mentioned not wanting to learn a new offense for a 4th year in a row. And as dumb as it sounds, him posting a picture of himself in a Steelers jersey after the Super Bowl is not worthless. I truly think he wants to stay as long as he’s getting a fair deal. Maybe I’ve got my black and yellow blinders on, but I think he wants back. Hoping they can agree to a deal
I think Fields wants to be assured he’ll have a fair shot at being the long term answer at QB. If he feels another team is more willing to give him that shot, he might choose elsewhere.
If I’m being honest, if the team doesn’t get a deal done with him before next Monday, I think the chances of him returning decrease tremendously.
I will be tough. I am sure that his agent will want him to go after FA money. Signing with the Steelers is safe and likely assures him a starting spot, but I think they are going to make the Steelers to come strong if he is going to sign prior to free agency. Would the Steelers be willing to go 3-year $115M? I think that is going to be the starting point. The Baker deal plus.
A lot of places have him projected at $6-10 million per season. While that seems a little low, over $38 million a year seems way too high.
I just think if you don’t want him to explore free agency you are going to have to “overpay” (whatever that means) slightly to lock him down. I was looking at the Baker Mayfield deal as a starting point. Look at what non-rookie starting QB’s are making.
12M/year (ish) plus solid playoff-win incentives would get it done and be good for both.
He could maybe get a bag in FA, but it’s a huge risk. If it doesn’t pay off he becomes a career backup.
Why on earth would he get the Baker deal?
You are signing him with the idea he is your starting QB. As Dr. Anthony wrote below starters this past season that were not on rookie deals averaged around $23M.This is a discussion to keep him from testing free agency. His team knows that if the Steelers sign him, it is to start. If he signs with say Minnesota like Darnold did, he is going there to compete with someone to start. Two different situations. Trying to sign him before Monday will have you bidding against yourself and guessing what he will ultimately sign for. He likely isn’t taking the Darnold 1-year $10M deal from the Steelers.
Fields won’t want to go to a third team in three years and risk getting labeled a journeyman QB at the age of 26. Let alone the hassles of moving to a new city and another different offensive system.
I think he loves Tomlin, the team and the city. He knows the Steelers really have few other decent options, but it is in his best interests to let this play out a little longer and make the Steelers sweat a little bit. Maybe get a few offers from other teams to increase his leverage in negotiations.
I would put his chances of coming back at at least 90%. Unless of course some team offers him absolutely stupid money, which at this point in his career I really don’t see happening.
On a side note, I just recently discovered this Steelers website. I read them all and have to say that the writing and content here is second to none. Much appreciated!
Welcome!
Yeah, the content here is arguably the best out there. There aren’t as many fluff pieces as there are on a lot of other sites. If I see one more “Analyst X Thinks That The Steelers Are Going to Sign Quarterback Y” article I may have to do something radical like calling people names in the comments section.
Or the famous “On his radio show, Ben Roethlisberger said…”
There are some quality contributors on other sites, but the signal to noise ratio on most sites is absurd. Twenty or more click bait re-reporting to very one quality well-researched or well-reasoned article. Or twenty to one on “It doesn’t matter, everything is garbage, we should all give up caring while posting incessantly because Tomlin.”
Just to identify the two main competitors I have found.
We are very familiar with those competitors. When we started SCN I said I was done competing with those sites.
We focus on quality over quantity here now, and it seems to be working well so far.
I am very pleased that you all kept at it. I thoroughly enjoyed your content on that other site back in the day, but became increasingly frustrated with the direction of that site and dropped it from my bookmarks. Glad I swung back there to see if it had gotten better (it hadn’t), because that was where I found the link to your new digs.
Appreciate the hard work in getting a site up and running and the quality content.
Appreciate the kind words and the support. Tell the others at the old stomping grounds they’re all welcome here!
Oh, I hadn’t been there in years, because too toxic, dropped by trying to find the answer to a question (no dice) – dropped into a comment thread to express my displeasure with the absurd reporting choices and stumbled on PaVa or one of the old crew saying you guys had moved here.
If I can stomach it I’ll try to drop by to mock the editorial choices ans share the word,but I suspect my posts won’t last long there.
Welcome!! Glad you found our little slice of Steelers Interwebs. Tell your friends!!
I would think that Justin Fields and his representatives are bright enough to know that it’s not just chasing the dollars at this point in his career. Fields has been in the league for 4 years and he has had a lot more lowlights than highlights. If he goes to the wrong team and fails it could be curtains for him, at least for his starting aspirations.
Surely, it would make sense for Fields to remain a Steeler rather than going to a perennial door mat like the Jets. When viewed from that lens, why wouldn’t Fields be leaning toward the Steelers?
Money.
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with you. I think Pitt is one of the best paths to start, he knows the system; he could actually contend for the playoffs and eventually the super bowl; he would not be asked to be the savior of a struggling franchise; the list goes on…
But I bet he’ll get higher offers elsewhere. I hope he’ll take the long view and recognize that Pittsburgh is probably the best place for him to succeed and really cash in a few years down the road, but I also recognize that he could probably get paid more in the short term (which may be his only term) going elsewhere.
According to Over The Cap, the ONLY starting quarterbacks in the league this past year who weren’t on a rookie contract and were making under $23M were Geno Smith and San Darnold (who wasn’t even supposed to be starting). So, to me, thinking Fields is getting anything less than $20-$25M (at least) seems unrealistic. So, if the Steelers want him, they’ll likely have to start there.
I think 3 yrs for 70 million would be about his market value. He gets decent money now appropriate for what he has shown in his career thus far. Baker Mayfield had produced a lot more than Fields when he signed his big contract.
3 yrs will ultimately reveal the caliber of his ability to win in this League. If he tears it up the contract could always be renegotiated. If not, hitting free agency at the age of 29 or 30 would not be the worst thing for him.
*this*
Only for fantasy purposes but I signed Fields to a 3 year 66m deal
Allright since folks here have made their decision, I would like to know the answer to this question: Say Fields fails, can Steeler Fans admit they were wrong about him or will they find some excuse to defend him again?
I think that you have to define “fail”. I don’t think that anyone expects Justin Fields to become a Pro Bowl player for the Steelers. I don’t think that anyone thinks that he can win a championship for the Steelers. I DO think that most people, me included, think that Justin Fields is the best of a bad bunch who can, hopefully, keep the Steelers relevant until the Steelers can somehow find a championship quality quarterback.
So, defining fail, if Justin Fields can’t keep the Steelers 9-8 or 10-7 and in contention for a wild card spot then I would consider him a failure and will admit as much. That still doesn’t mean that the Steelers would have been any better with any of the other available QBs though. As such, your query is rhetorical.
I think about Fileds in a could he become Jalen Hurts? I think he can play at that level. I am not comparing the talent around them, but I think Fields could play at a Hurts level. So, when you don’t have Burrows, Mahomes, Allen, etc. you really have to build the roster to win. Philly went out and built arguably the best roster in the NFL and won a Super Bowl.
What does that mean for Fields and the Steelers, not much. You have to be a lot better at WR, TE and RB for any magic to happen.
But that is my point if Fields doesn’t succeed what will stop Steeler Fans from giving him a pass for his performance? Most of the comments I have read about Fields by Steeler Fans is they want to see is he above average or just a guy that went 4-2 but was carried by the D against subpar opponents. Failure based on Record is subjective it’s more based on performance than anything else. Hope this helps in some manner.
Define “wrong about him.”
I think very few people are predicting that he is going to become Patrick Mahomes. I think most Steelers fans are looking at the potential options this year and thinking “Fields offers the best chance to succeed this year without wildly overpaying (or overdrafting) someone who is either unproven or on the back side of their career and he already knows the system and has potential that could be unlocked.”
The point you consistently overlook is that isn’t a choice between Fields and Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes or Jaylen Warren or Jalen Hurts or even Shadeur Sandeurs or Cam Ward. None of those guys are available. Could Shough or Milroe or Dart or Ewers be the guy? Maybe. You can still sign Fields AND draft one of those guys (and should!) if they aren’t too overvalued in a weak draft.
Very well I will. Failure to me is not taking the steps to become a moderately successful QB. Can he deliver when it’s crunch time? Does he make the Big Plays when it’s needed? That to me is Failure. If Fields can’t do that then move on from him assuming you’re not giving him Big Money.
Odd, because to me, making big plays when *they* are needed is success, not failure.
If Fields does not “take steps to be a moderately successful QB” then I think everyone here will shrug, accept that it didn’t work out, and accept that the Steelers made the best available choice *in this particular situation* and hope that investing in the rest of the team this year while the team figures out if Fields is the guy or not pays off in the long run. If he isn’t, then the team moves on. If he is, great, we found a guy who can help us.
From your apparent anger at the general consensus, that Fields is probably the best option this year, I can only assume you think there is a better choice that we are all ignoring as “we make our decision.” Who is it? What is the better option we are all ignoring?
My anger is based on how other QB’s through the years were cast aside by fans and Fields is given the benefit of the doubt. Take Darnold for Example. Never found any sort of success with the Jets. Stuck with a dysfunctional franchise and when he hit FA nobody wanted him to be the starter but with Fields he’s needs to be given a chance. How bouy Mayfield? He much like Fields was placed into a dysfunctional franchise and when he hit FA folks wanted nothing more than for him to be never given another shot.
There is a lack of consistency as to how QB’s get treated by outsiders. Fields struggles in Chicago and the first thing fans point to “Well it’s bad situation for him” Mayfield and Darnold also struggle but many felt that neither should get another shot, explain to me how is that right?
The reason I used Mayfield and Darnold as my 2 prime examples is that those 2 along with Fields were all high picks in the draft but yet Fields should get another chance and those 2 don’t tell me why?
Yes I know both guys have found success but after being let go by the teams that drafted them nobody was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and yet with Fields he’s not subjected to that same benefit.
I’ll make it simple if Fields proves me wrong I will come back here and admit as such and everybody that reads this can hold me to that.
I still don’t understand. You say “nobody was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.” Do you mean Steelers fans? Do you mean nobody in the NFL? There were people that gave them the opportunity in the NFL, hence why they landed with other teams. If you’re talking Steelers fans, there was plenty of reasons to not want either of those players in Pittsburgh. Darnold still probably would not succeed here like he did in Minnesota based on circumstances (they had the best WR in the league until Darnold made him not that). As for Mayfield, he was a player fans rooted against for so long and wanted to see fail (which he did), expecting them to do a 180° return on him would’ve been asking a lot. So I really don’t get where you’re coming from either way.
Once Darnold and Baker were released many people: Fans and Media alike all decided that neither should be a starter anymore and were also deemed busts but with Justin he’s get the benefit of the doubt. i know this cause I recall this. So either fans can’t and media alike can’t admit that or they just won’t.
I would agree with Darnold. He went from a bad situation to a worse situation. So, nobody was ready to give him a third shot. I thought Baker got a raw deal in Cleveland. Then he had the terrible Carolina stop. Now both seem to be on a better track. Of course, when you go to a third team and aren’t a good starter there you are labeled done. Fields hasn’t done that yet. He is a potential starter now on his second team. It is the same as Trubisky. If he is bad in Pittsburgh he will be thought of as a career backup.
You seem to be trying to insinuate something more at play here. Rather than being cryptic just throw out what you really want to say.
Credit to you for being able to state the reason for your anger and explain your post.
But, frankly, your argument is flawed. Nobody here is arguing that Mayfield and Darnold shouldn’t get another shot. It’s totally irrelevant to the discussion – which is “of the options currently available which is the best for the Steelers this year?” Darnold is not the answer to that question. Mayfield is not the answer to that question. In fact, neither of them are even in the discussion pool.
And in the process of creating your “straw man” argument, you’ve been pretty insulting to a lot of posters who were *not making the argument you are claiming they’re making* and so have no need to come and apologize to you if Justin Fields doesn’t turn out to be Sam Darnold.
(And isn’t giving Fields the benefit of the doubt exactly what the teams that picked up Mayfield and Darnold did? We’re the teams that benefit from the first teams giving up too soon, so your third and fourth paragraphs actually completely contradict the rest of your points, as far as I can make out your actual premise…it’s challenging).
Suggestion is to settle down and approach posting less as combat and more as conversation. I know, it’s not the current meta, but I think you, and the other posters here will be a lot happier.
It’s not a straw man argument. When Baker and Darnold were FA’s both were labeled as busts and should not be given the opportunity to start again, where as Fields who was in the same boat as the other 2 was being talked about as a starter and that just burns me up cause it shows a double standard. I stated prior to last season to Steeler Fans that I didn’t see Wilson or Fields as the best options at QB but all i got back was fans saying “you have to give these guys a chance” well why?
Why is it okay for 1 QB to get another chance at being a starter and another get’s labeled as “Not starter material”? Look CeeJay my base point is why? I recognize that Darnold and Mayfield each found there success but very few if any at all were willing to give them the benefit of the doubt when they were FA’s but with Fields he’s absolved of wrongdoing.
Let me use another FA QB as an example: Daniel Jones. Here is a guy that has been labeled the same way as Baker and Darnold once were but somehow if you mention his name as a potential starting QB the pushback you get is tremendous. Explain to me how Justin can be allowed to have another chance but a guy like Jones it’s like your forbidden from even mentioning him as a starter?
All 4 guys were in similar situations but only 1 is being regarded as “Let’s give him another chance”. Do you see why I get upset at this topic?
I don’t know how much clearer I can get.
You are wrong. There are a lot of posters on this site that support Jones. In fact I’ve seen far more support for him than comments opposing him.
I support Fields because he’s been on the roster, and has a legit chance at remaining on the roster. When Darnold or Mayfield are here I’ll support them, untill then I couldn’t care less if they take another snap in the NFL.
Spot on. I support the Steelers QB and want to see them succeed whoever it is. All other QBs for other teams can throw 100 INTs.
As much as I would like to believe you Dave I can’t. I’ve come across many who while they never said the same thing feel the same way but when push comes to shove they will beg for that QB to be kicked out of Pittsburgh, so tell me Dave what reason is there for me to believe your statement?
You can look at the more than 5,000 articles I’ve had published since 2018 and see that I’ve never wanted a Steelers QB kicked out of Pittsburgh. Ever.
You must be taking to people that I haven’t. I’ve come across Steeler Fans who don’t want Jones even though much like the 2 guys I used in my examples gets the same treatment.
No. No. They’re right here on this site, all YOU needed to do was read their comments.
By being clear and coherent at the outset. Your argument is all over the map, self contradictory, and insulting. My best approximation of your premise is:
except that they were, and thrived – which contradicts your premise, but you use is a supporting evidence even though it proves that QBs *should be given a chance*, not that the retreads shouldn’t be given a chance.
Then you go on a strange rant about something being a double standard, even though it’s not. It’s as if you’ve mashed up everyone who has ever disagreed with you on anything and made it *our* argument, even though no-one here has ever made any of those arguments, which is pretty much the definition of a straw man argument.
I will try one more time:
Justin Fields should be offered another chance in Pittsburgh because he’s here, he knows the system, and he could become a good quarterback. Darnold isn’t here, no-one is making an argument that we should or shouldn’t consider him. Mayfield isn’t here. No-one is making an argument that we should or shouldn’t consider him. Jones isn’t here. No-one is making an argument we should or shouldn’t consider him.
I am renaming your logical fallacy the “windmill argument” in honor of Don Quixote. You are tilting at windmills. (That’s an allusion that means you are pretending other people are making claims they are not so you can attack them.)
How do you noy get it. I read the comments of Darnold and Mayfield about they should be backups and heard from just about everyone who knows the game, talks the game and covers the game who all felt that it would better for both guys to be backups but yet somehow that goes right over ya. Fields goes through thing as Baker and Sam did but he’s a pass and they didn’t what is so hard about that.
Yes I acknowledge that Baker and Sam did it turn it around but they were not afforded the same pass as Justin was given.
All 3 were in dysfunctional franchises but only 1 was given a free pass when they were FA’s and that’s Justin. Baker and Darnold were given the treatment of “Better off being a backup” where as Fields doesn’t.
I never once said Steeler Fans should have given Darnold and Baker another shot, I should have said people not associated with the Steelers or the Fans. I point to how Justin is treated as a FA and how Baker and Darnold were treated as FA’s and it showed a double standard.
That’s not how it goes on this site.
Very tricky. Fields was very stop start. He certainly wasn’t winning without a good defense. This may have been all he was asked to do, keep it conservative but it’s not clear. When Russell came in the offensive production initially increased before ultimately trailing off.
I don’t think either QB is the answer if charged to win a Super Bowl. However if the team believes he has improvement left in him then Justin is the likely candidate for next season. The cost is almost immaterial. Any experienced QB is going to cost money so Justin will get as much as he can extract from the Steelers. Good for him, it’s not our money. The Steelers aren’t in a position to draft a top prospect in a n allegedly down year. We will see what happens.
I think the Steelers just have to take a chance with rookies until they find their man. Unless Justin makes an exponentially big step this year. Personally, I will be very happy if he does.
I think this is much more pragmatic than most fans are seeing/ predicting. I think Fields greatest advantage to the Steelers brass is not about his specific abilities or potential. They saw him for a year, and they know what they had. If they were that convinced of those things, they would have already signed him. The mid-season switch to Wilson and sticking with him through the end still speaks volumes. The truth is it’s about money and the associated long term commitment for the Steelers as much as it is for Fields. In short, I don’t believe the Steelers come close to paying Fields what they may pay Wilson. If it is approaching that realm of funds, they will choose Wilson instead- just as they did during the season. I don’t think anything has changed. I also believe Fields might have some success with the Steelers, but will likely fail with another franchise. I think it would be the right call for the Steelers to let him walk if his demands approach Wilson’s.
Fields should commit to the Steelers for a short term, “prove it for a qb” deal, imo. Much more money than any other position commands (on such a contract) that can be renegotiated at the conclusion of 2025. For his own sake, he should bet on himself with the Steelers and cash in based on his success.
But if there’s no discount, I’m convinced Wilson will be the qb.
My own thoughts on this lean into having Fields as the starter simply for the economics of it. Reading through the comments, Fields could fetch 3 years $75M assuming some team would be willing to pay that. Lets presume the Steelers do pay that. How much is it going to cost to lock up Russ for those same 3 years? I would almost guarantee Russ is not going to accept anywhere near that much of a paycut.
Signing Fields simply allows you to spend more on other positions and build a better roster. Will he be perfect…..likely not. But what happens if you pay more for Russ and you get the same result as this year? If I am going to roll the dice, Fields would be my bet.
And I do believe they can get Fields for WAY less than 3 years 75M