The Steelers have completely rebuilt their quarterback room this offseason, signing nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, trading for the Bears’ Justin Fields, and dealing Kenny Pickett to the Eagles.
However, Pittsburgh currently has zero quarterbacks under contract in 2025. So, what’s the plan?
It may be that the Steelers don’t know what the plan is as of now. All that is known is that Wilson has the “pole position” for the starting job, according to head coach Mike Tomlin, and that’s not surprising as the team clearly believes it is ready to contend for a Super Bowl now.
Where does that leave Fields, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, following this year?
Unless the Steelers pick up Fields’ fifth-year option, which is unexpected since it is projected to be worth about $25.66 million, per Over The Cap, he’ll be set to hit the open market next offseason.
That’s exactly why the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac believes the team could extend the 25-year-old sooner rather than later.
“They won’t during the season,” Dulac wrote. “They will re-visit with Wilson after the season. That is the intention of both parties. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did something sooner with Fields.”
The NFL saw a similar scenario play out last offseason between the Packers and QB Jordan Love. Instead of exercising his fifth-year option, Green Bay signed Love to an incentive-laden one-year contract extension worth up to $22.5 million.
It makes a lot of sense for the Steelers to do something similar with Fields for the 2025 season since he is unlikely to see the field very much this year, barring Wilson getting injured or playing very poorly.
Many believe Wilson gives Pittsburgh the best chance to win now, and rightfully so with his 12 years of experience in the league, but Fields is the team’s future.
Allowing Wilson to play on his prove-it, one-year deal in 2024 while extending Fields to be his potential replacement down the road feels like the best route for the Steelers to take as they continue to search for their next franchise quarterback.
