The Pittsburgh Steelers have been able to see a major increase in offensive production during the 2024 season, and a lot of that has to do with quarterback play. General Manager Omar Khan seemed to understand it was a position that needed to be addressed going into the 2024 offseason, and he completely changed the quarterback room. Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph are all in new homes. Pittsburgh hired a new quarterbacks coach in Tom Arth, and the organization brought in Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields warms up pregame before a Week 15 matchup against the Eagles
Both Fields and Wilson have been the starter for the Steelers throughout the 2024 season, and both have been a serious upgrade over what the Steelers had at the position in 2023. Fields went 4-2 through six starts for the Steelers, Wilson then took over the starting role before the seventh game of the season and has gone 6-2 in eight games. Both quarterbacks are free agents after the season concludes, and there has been a lot of debate about what the organization should do moving forward.
It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Pittsburgh would not be able to keep both players. Fields would want to go be a starter, and it would be too expensive to retain both quarterbacks. Jeff Howe, and NFL insider for The Athletic, recently wrote about Fields not being the sought after free agent everyone expects him to be.
"Fields is still a plus runner, but he showed flashes as a passer this season with improved accuracy," Howe wrote. "Then again, the Steelers made the switch because they felt their offense’s potential was limited with Fields, and Wilson provided the jolt they’d been seeking. That may work against him in free agency."
It came as a shock to some when Head Coach Mike Tomlin replaced Fields with Wilson after his first six starts. He was playing well and the team had a 4-2 record, but Tomlin wanted to see more offensive production. Some questioned the move, but it ended up being the right decision. The offense began to thrive under Wilson, and it showed that Fields maybe wasn't ready to be a starter yet.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen voluntary offseason workouts.
Fields is expected to command a good chunk of money during the 2025 offseason. There are several quarterback-needy teams who could be interested in him, but none of them are top-tier organizations like the Steelers. If teams look at Fields being replaced by Wilson as a blemish on his resume, then it could help the Steelers retain him if they wish to do so. The organization will likely bring back Wilson, but having Fields as a backup would be more than ideal.
The Chicago Bears made Fields available in the trade market after the 2023 season, and the organization was originally seeking a second-round pick for the quarterback. Not many teams were interested in Fields, and Pittsburgh eventually struck a deal with Chicago that saw Khan give up just a conditional sixth-round selection. If Fields doesn't garner much attention on the open market, Pittsburgh has the chance to bring back their current starter while also locking up a plan for the future in Fields.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields looks on during a game against the Chargers in 2024.
Steelers' Justin Fields May Hunt A Starting Job
Fields was drafted in the first round back in 2021, and the quarterback certainly has the potential to be great as a starting quarterback in the NFL. He won't get a chance to do that immediately if he returns to Pittsburgh, so that may be a major factor when deciding his future. Teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets will probably be looking for a new quarterback in 2025, and they could pursue that either through the draft or free agency, or both.
What do you think the future of Fields looks like moving forward? Let us know in the comments below!
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