The Pittsburgh Steelers have had one of the more interesting quarterback situations in the NFL over the last year. No quarterbacks from the 2023 roster returned in 2024, and the organization made two polarizing moves during the 2024 offseason to bring in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Each player has won over some of the fan base with their play in 2024, but neither quarterback's future in Pittsburgh is guaranteed. General Manager Omar Khan will have a tough decision to make in the quarterback room with Wilson and Fields both scheduled to become free agents, but it seems like Wilson will probably be returning to the Steel City.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson runs against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13 of the 2024 regular season.
Wilson has played well for the most part during his first season with the Steelers. He has had a rough go of it over Pittsburgh's three-game losing streak, but overall it is easy to see the offense is the best it has been in years. The veteran quarterback made it clear he wants to play past the 2024 season with the Steelers, and the organization seems to have interest in bringing back the Super Bowl XLVIII champion.
Insider Brian Batko hosted a mailbag with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Thursday morning, and the insider believes that the team's evaluation of the quarterback moving forward will be a true wild card.
"The wild card here is that the team’s evaluation of Wilson this time around will be much different than last season," Batko wrote. "He was a roster hack, a cheat code, a no-risk bargain basement pickup last year. Now, they’ll need to actually negotiate with him for the first time."
The Steelers were able to sign Wilson for the league veteran minimum. The organization made basically zero financial commitment to the quarterback for the 2024 season, which may cloud some of the fanbase's judgement when thinking about the quarterback. His $1.2 million cap hit in Pittsburgh for 2024 makes his good play feel even better, and his bad play seem not that bad.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson scores a touchdown during a 2024 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
It's hard to criticize the quarterback when he is only being paid $1.2 million for the season from Pittsburgh, but if he re-signs and plays like he has during the losing streak, the quarterback will be heavily scrutinized. It has been rumored that he would get around $30 million per year on his next deal, and if that happens with the Steelers, a lot of the fan base would be angry after some of these lackluster performances.
If the veteran quarterback was eating up a larger percentage of cap space, the feelings towards him for his play in the 2024 season would be a lot different. This begs the question of whether or not it is worth it to bring the quarterback back in 2025, or take a chance on a cheaper option that could end up being the future of the franchise.
Steelers Have A Great Option At Quarterback In Justin Fields
Fields has been another exciting option at the quarterback position for the Steelers. He started six games for the team at the beginning of the year and went 4-2, and the quarterback showed he has improved as a passer since his time with the Chicago Bears. Fields is also a free agent after the 2024 season, and it would be interesting if the organization decided to bring him back. The young quarterback currently has a projected market value of $8.9 million, which is significantly less than the $30 million that could be paid to Wilson.
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Steelers quarterback Justin Fields stands on the field during a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
There are other options out there for the Steelers and the quarterback position. There are some enticing names in the upcoming NFL Draft and on the free agent market as well.
What do you want the Steelers to do at quarterback past the 2024 season? Let us know in the comments below!
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