With the Saturday evening breaking news that Justin Fields was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for pennies on the dollar, several analysts raced to the airwaves to give their reactions on the big move. Among those was former NFL QB Chase Daniel who dropped an emergency podcast live on X.
“I do think that Justin [Fields] will end up playing this year, and I do think that he will play really, really well. It’s just a matter of time,” Daniel said. “They got Justin Fields, who now becomes easily the best backup in the entire NFL.”
Daniel had a long career in the NFL, playing 13 seasons primarily as a backup. He moved around to six different organizations over that time, including two years with the Chicago Bears in 2018 and 2019. He knows what it takes to have longevity in the league at the position. And over that time from 2010 to 2022, he saw the changing landscape of what quarterback success looks like. From the true pocket passers of old, to the hybrid athletic archetype that is starting to dominate the NFL landscape.
Reports have already surfaced indicating that Fields was told he is the backup to Russell Wilson, who just officially signed his contract on Friday. At age 35, and with his style of play that leaves him holding onto the ball for longer than most quarterbacks, he is certainly an elevated risk to get injured. Fields is just one injury away from stepping in. The best part is that the offense will be tailored around Wilson which should fit perfectly for Fields, who says he models his game after him.
“If you look at the last six, seven games of Justin’s career in Chicago…he played legitimate football,” Daniel said. “He played top-16, 17 football in the league as far as quarterbacks go. And that’s just the facts.”
Fields was dealt a rough hand in Chicago, having to step in as the starter in Week 3 of his rookie season. He didn’t have the supporting cast around him to help him ease into the role, and he struggled with seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions that season.
By the end of his tenure in Chicago, he was really starting to put things together. Over those final seven games, he completed 61.06-percent of his passes for 1,361 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 420 additional yards on 77 attempts for another three touchdowns and two fumbles lost. Over that time, they went 4-3, including a win over the Detroit Lions. The ball security is different from what the Steelers are used to with Kenny Pickett, but the playmaking is also a big step up.
Any way you cut it, the Steelers have a much more talented QB room and are better equipped to handle an injury than at any point in recent memory.
