The Pittsburgh Steelers made several bold moves this offseason, with the quarterback position undergoing the most significant makeover. The quarterbacks who saw game action in 2023 are no longer on the team. Pittsburgh decided to sign veteran quarterback Russell Wilson to a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum. This move upset their former first-round pick, quarterback Kenny Pickett, who requested a trade. Pittsburgh sent him packing after just two seasons with the team.
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Steelers' Justin Fields watches Russell Wilson throw the ball.
Following the decision to trade Pickett, Pittsburgh negotiated an exciting trade with the Chicago Bears for their former first-round pick, quarterback Justin Fields. The Steelers' new quarterback room has dominated headlines all offseason. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has made it clear that Wilson will be the starter, but Fields will have a chance to compete for the job. However, as it stands, Wilson is the starter and Fields is the backup.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler revealed that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott could be a viable option for Pittsburgh after the 2024 season. Prescott, who signed a four-year, $160 million deal with Dallas in 2021, has a 2-5 postseason record over eight seasons. This has made Dallas hesitant to extend his contract. With Prescott set to become a free agent after the 2024 season, Pittsburgh has been floated as a possible landing spot. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo joined 93.7 The Fan to discuss the possibility of Prescott joining the Steelers after the 2024 season.
"Dak is making over $40 million with the Cowboys, right? So for me, no matter what happened, let's say he has a bad year in Dallas. He's not gonna come down to the point where he's gonna be a bargain," Fittipaldo said. "Dak has been like, what, top-12, top-10 type of guy, even if he's not viewed that way anymore, is he gonna wanna take a $10 million pay cut? I don't think that's a viable option. And to be honest with you, I don't know what's gonna happen to Fields or Wilson."
The notion that Pittsburgh would want to pay Prescott a huge sum of money is somewhat surprising. While Prescott has been a great quarterback, he has struggled to lead the Cowboys to success in the postseason. Paying him a substantial amount of money would be a risky move for Pittsburgh. Fittipaldo admitted that, based on what he knows, he believes Pittsburgh's ideal scenario is for Wilson to be the answer at quarterback for the next few seasons.
"I think, I don't wanna call it a disaster, but I think the hope within the Steelers' organization obviously is one of those guys works out. And I think preferably for them it would be Russell Wilson and they could ride this out for a year or two beyond 2024."
Steelers' Quarterback Situation Gets Confusing After 2024
After the 2024 season, the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh becomes more complex. It’s difficult to predict the future without seeing how Wilson performs in 2024. However, the Steelers decided to decline Fields' fifth-year option. Fields, at 25 years old, is clearly a more sensible long-term option if he can prove his potential, whereas Wilson, at 35, is a former Super Bowl champion who once dominated the NFL.
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Former Bears QB Justin Fields looks on during a game.
Wilson joins Pittsburgh after two struggling years with the Denver Broncos and is eager to prove he’s still an elite quarterback despite media skepticism. If Wilson overachieves in the 2024 season, it will be fascinating to see what type of new deal Pittsburgh might offer him. Conversely, if Wilson underperforms and Fields has to step in, that’s an entirely different conversation. Fittipaldo suggests that Pittsburgh is hopeful Wilson can have a good season and remain the quarterback for the next few seasons.
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Former Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (#3) scrambles out of the pocket.
If Wilson succeeds, it raises interesting questions about how Pittsburgh would handle Fields. They wouldn’t want to pay Fields starting quarterback money if he’s not the starter, yet losing a potential future star at quarterback is a risk. Even if Wilson is good, he’s nearing the end of his career. The quarterback situation in Pittsburgh will be a storyline to watch throughout 2024.
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