The Pittsburgh Steelers completely overhauled their quarterback room at the start of free agency. Russell Wilson signed a one-year contract, and Justin Fields was acquired via trade on the final year of his rookie contract while Kenny Pickett was shipped out of town. The overhaul is solid for the 2024 season, but there are still large questions looming about the future of the position. Currently the Steelers have zero quarterbacks under contract for 2025.
There have been reports that the Steelers and Wilson have a mutual interest in a contract extension following this season, but that is obviously contingent on him performing well in 2024. The Steelers have a longstanding policy of not negotiating contracts once a season begins. If they do not work anything out with Wilson or Fields prior to Week 1, they run the risk of Wilson having a poor season and then both players hitting the market as unrestricted free agents next offseason.
In Gerry Dulac’s Wednesday morning chat posted on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he was asked if the Steelers will do anything with the contract of Wilson or Fields during, or even prior to the season.
“They won’t during the season,” Dulac wrote. “They will re-visit with Wilson after the season. That is the intention of both parties. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did something sooner with Fields.”
Obviously with the Steelers’ policy of not negotiating in-season, “sooner” means prior to the start of the 2024 regular season. This would seem to be the best route forward, giving the team at least some insurance in the event things don’t go as planned with Wilson. Even if Wilson does well, he will be turning 36 years old this season. Fields is a full decade younger and presents much more upside for the future of the franchise. Getting at least a one- or two-year extension locked up before the season would be ideal.
Of course, that is only possible if Fields and his agent are open to the idea. It is difficult to figure out what kind of money he would command in a contract at this stage in his career. He was just traded for a 2025 conditional sixth-round pick, and there is a chance he will not play much during the 2024 season if Wilson performs well.
The Steelers do have the choice, however unlikely it may be, to exercise his fifth-year option by May 2, but that would be a fully guaranteed $25,664,000 amount for the 2025 season. Again, almost certainly not in their plans.
How the Steelers handle the contracts of Wilson and Fields between now and the start of the 2025 league year next March will be one of the most important decisions the franchise has to make.
