Justin Fields will most likely be on the move this offseason, but after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ blockbuster trade sending Kenny Pickett to Philadelphia, a new dance partner for the Chicago Bears just might have emerged.
Pittsburgh, of course, signed Russell Wilson to a one-year contract, and after trading Pickett away, the path is clear for the former Super Bowl champion to ascend to the starting role without any competition.
However, it would likely take a Herculean season from Wilson to emerge as the long-term solution in the Iron City.
Fortunately for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Justin Fields is likely available on the trade market, and could be an ideal Wilson understudy as the possible franchise quarterback of the future.
Justin Fields (lack of) Interest is a Bit Shocking
It is rather stunning that the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to execute a Kenny Pickett trade before the Chicago Bears were able to move off Fields.
As the quarterback carousel begins to slow, it seems as though the only teams that has a need for a starting quarterback and could deal for Fields are the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings.
However, Chicago is likely hesitant to deal Fields within the NFC North, to Minnesota, and the Vikings executed a major trade to increase their draft capital with sights set on likely moving up to select one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
That presents a fascinating situation for the Bears, the Steelers, and Fields.
Pittsburgh could conceivably follow the Cowboys’ playbook, after Dallas traded a fourth-round pick to acquire Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, as an insurance policy on Dak Prescott and a developmental quarterback.
Fields could likely be had for a third-round or fourth-round pick, and would be a strong option if Wilson gets injured, is ineffective, or if all goes well the former first-round pick could hold a clipboard, study in meetings behind Wilson and take the reigns of the franchise and its offensive weapons in 2025 after a season of seasoning behind the scenes.
At this point, Wilson is the clear starter for 2024, but the Steelers need to find a long-term solution or risk returning to quarterback purgatory. Fields is good enough today to avoid that fate, and after a season of learning the offense as Wilson’s understudy could raise his ceiling significantly.
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