Justin Fields Trade Sweepstakes Won by Steelers After Falcons Originally Favorites

The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

The Pittsburgh Steelers played the waiting game and got their guy.

According to sources, the Steelers are trading for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who was once favored to go to the Atlanta Falcons.

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The #Bears are trading QB Justin Fields to the #Steelers, sources say. A new QB into the competition. pic.twitter.com/hGQpbVwoRA

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2024

ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on “The Pat McAfee Show” last month that Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin is a “big fan” of Fields. ... and of course Fields' name is being dangled out there because he presently plays for the Bears, who might trade him as they also hold the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft ... where they could take a quarterback.

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Schefter has also reported that the Bears could both keep Fields while still drafting a QB at No. 1 like USC’s Caleb Williams, which sounds to us a bit like ESPN is doing some water-carrying for the Bears, as such an idea seems like a terrible allocation of access.

The Bears need a lot of help ... and what they do not need are two young unproven QBs competing at the same position.

Fields is just 24 and was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 draft ... and he's a Georgia kid who just ended his third season with 2,562 yards passing, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 games, along with 657 yards rushing and four rushing TDs.

There is promise there ... but there is also the issue of the Bears deciding if they want to make a big-money commitment to Fields.

Justin Fields Trade to Atlanta? How Falcons Could Bring Georgia Native Home

We do get the impression that new Atlanta coach Raheem Morris is prepared to oversee a "cleaning of the house" in regard to the QB room, with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke not locked in to a future here.

There are other possible names here for Atlanta should it opt to chase a proven veteran, a list that includes Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson. But a Fields move would be a headline-grabber in Atlanta ... and there might be competition for those headlines.