We’re learning more details regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers making yet another major quarterback move, acquiring former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields Saturday evening, a deal officially announced a short time ago.
Per Bears’ reporter Courtney Cronin, five other teams reached out to the Bears about a possible deal for Fields. The timetable is unclear but ostensibly, it occurred throughout the offseason process with talks likely beginning around the Combine. Per Cronin, those teams, like the Steelers plan for Fields, was to bring him in as a backup, not a starter.
As Cronin notes, the Bears ideally hoped Fields would fetch a similar return as QB Sam Darnold did when the New York Jets traded him to the Carolina Panthers in April of 2021. But given the market was for Fields to come in as a backup, they weren’t going to get back a Day Two selection.
Instead, the deal is a 2025 conditional sixth round pick that becomes a fourth if Fields logs 51 percent of the Steelers’ offensive snaps in 2024. As of now, he won’t be on track to hit that goal, the team intending on starting Russell Wilson, whose experience and fewer mistakes make him the preferable option.
Cronin’s reporting tracks with what Bears GM Ryan Poles said following the Fields’ deal, noting they had spoken with several teams throughout the process. While the entire list of six isn’t known, the Steelers were obviously one of those clubs. The Philadelphia Eagles were reportedly also on that list, unable to reach an agreement and acquiring Kenny Pickett instead. Ultimately, Pickett saw a great return than Fields. It’s possible the Atlanta Falcons were also in the mix to some extent, though it’s also clear they were in on Kirk Cousins from the start (and perhaps, too early on Cousins).
For Pittsburgh, they take a flier on Fields, a talented but inconsistent quarterback throughout his career. Though it may be tough to judge him in 2024 and if his fifth-year option is declined, which seems likely, he’ll be playing on the final year of his rookie deal. But Pittsburgh will have options in its quarterback, completely overhauling it in a way no one saw coming.
