Insider Shares Wild Steelers QB Possibility

The Pittsburgh Steelers might make a very different quarterback decision.
Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) warms up next to quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) warms up next to quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
In this story:

The current belief is that the Pittsburgh Steelers will ultimately pick between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, but one analyst doesn't see the situation unfolding in that manner.

In the latest episode of NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio came to the conclusion that whomever returns amongst Wilson and Fields would fill the backup role for the Steelers while they attempt to find a starter through other means.

"I think the guy's gonna be the backup, too," Florio said. "I think that's the reality. They're going to look for a starter elsewhere. They want to keep one of the other two to be the No. 2. That's my guess."

Florio also found it peculiar that Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney II stated his preference was to retain one of the team's incumbent signal callers, not both.

"It's odd that the position would be: we want to keep one or the other, not both, and it tells you they're thinking seriously about the future of the quarterback position," Florio said.

Truth be told, there's several distinct reasons why Wilson and Fields are incredibly unlikely to remain together in the Steel City.

For one, it's not practical financially for Pittsburgh to bring the pair back. The reason it worked out this season was due to Wilson playing for the veteran minimum after being released by the Denver Broncos, while Fields' cap hit was $3.23 million at the tail end of his rookie contract.

With plenty of franchises seeking quarterback help, both players are in line for significant raises and should have a number of different suitors who drive up their prices.

The Steelers, who are currently projected to have just above $40 million in cap space, won't have any issues re-signing either Wilson or Fields, though one of their markets would have to crater in order for the two of them to come back.

Another major factor is that each guy wants to start next year. At 36-years-old, there's a world in which this is Wilson's final contract, and he's likely going to avoid a situation in which he has to battle for first-team reps.

As for Fields, he impressed in his six starts for Pittsburgh this past campaign and wasn't afforded a chance to continue developing once Wilson returned from a calf injury in Week 7. It's hard to imagine the 25-year-old wanting to endure a similar set of events moving forward, so he too is expected to seek out an opportunity in which he's the top dog at the position.

Simply put, neither of them are going to return to the Steelers with the understanding that they'd serve as the backup. Furthermore, finding an upgrade over either Wilson or Fields is easier said than done.

Trading up to select Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders at the top of the NFL Draft would require multiple first-round picks plus additional capital, and it's hard to imagine Pittsburgh taking that plunge.

The organization could potentially look into signing Sam Darnold or acquiring Aaron Rodgers, but there's no guarantee either would be a better fit for the Steelers than Wilson or Fields, who also would never outwardly agree to sit behind another veteran.

At this point in time, Pittsburgh's most probable course of action is holding onto one of Wilson or Fields, letting the other walk and then finding a cheaper backup via trade, free agency or the draft.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI to get all your daily Pittsburgh Steelers news, interviews, breakdowns and more!


Published