The Pittsburgh Steelers tried to hedge their bet at the quarterback position in 2024 by bringing in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, both of whom had at least some success under center during their respective stints.
The Steelers struck a trade with the Chicago Bears to bring Fields in, and they signed Wilson to a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal after he was cut loose by Denver.
Fields started the first six games and went 4-2 in that span, but he didn’t exactly light the world on fire and looked very similar to the player we saw in Chicago. Wilson then took over in Week 7 after returning from injury and was a clear upgrade over Fields, who didn’t see another start the rest of the way.
With Fields looking for a chance to start in 2025, chances are he’s going to be playing elsewhere. Pro Football Network’s Ben Rolfe predicts Fields will ultimately land with the New York Jets.
The veteran free agent quarterback market isn’t particularly inspiring, with Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson headlining the field. Yet, Fields looms as a more intriguing upside candidate, albeit one without a sustained track record of high performance.
Nonetheless, Fields was effective as a starter for the Steelers in 2024 before being benched for Wilson after six games. Beyond the 4-2 record and 5-1 TD-INT ratio, Fields also averaged 0.04 EPA per dropback, which would have been inside the top 20 at the position if he had thrown enough passes to qualify for the leaderboard (200).
Fields also had the highest completion percentage of his career (65.8%) and continues to be a red-zone weapon with his legs (five rushing TDs, all from the 7-yard line or closer). With the Jets likely moving on from Rodgers after the 41-year-old finished 21st in PFN’s QB+ rankings (72.1 grade), Fields could be a high-upside option for a roster that is otherwise veteran-laden and could be competitive in 2025.
The only way Fields returns to Pittsburgh is if they give him the starting job, which seems unlikely considering they didn’t turn to him while Wilson struggled down the stretch of the season.
If the Steelers bring Wilson back or sign another veteran starter, Fields will not be keen on returning as a backup in 2025.
The Jets will certainly be a team Fields eyes this offseason, as the status of veteran quarterback and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers remains up in the air after a bitterly disappointing 2024 campaign.
“Aaron Rodgers will be talked about. It will be talked about,” new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said. “We’ve already texted that communication with Aaron Rodgers. As we continue to look at the roster, we’ll make decisions accordingly. And that’s with a number of people on the team.”
The Jets currently figure to be out of the range of one of the top signal-callers in this year’s draft. New York could turn to Fields as a cheap bridge option in 2025 should Rodgers move on in any form or fashion.
According to Spotrac, Fields should come at a reasonable price. He’s projected to land a one-year, $6.4 million deal in free agency. Pro Football Focus comes in higher with its projection at one year, $11 million.
Either way, the Jets can afford to bring Fields in, and the pairing definitely makes sense if Rodgers isn’t retained.
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