The Justin Fields situation could go in quite a few directions in Pittsburgh. All we can do right now is sit around and speculate.
Will Fields play this year, causing the Steelers to give up their fourth-round selection instead of their sixth as trade compensation? Are they giving him a tryout of sorts for 2025? Or is he just here as a high-profile backup who can give the offense a unique look in case of a Russell Wilson injury?
Former All-Pro Cornerback and Super Bowl Champion Chris Harris Jr. certainly doesn’t think he’s a glorified backup. He shared his thoughts on Fields and the Steelers QB room on the Minus Three podcast.
“It would be better suited for him to learn under Russ and then eventually take over that spot,” Harris proposed. “[Tomlin’s] mindset is ‘I’m gonna have success with Russell Wilson.’ And we can look at Justin Fields later on, probably next year or maybe two years down the road. That would be the ultimate goal.”
Harris’ point makes sense here. With the team’s current structure, you have to give the proven Wilson a fairly long leash this season. Ask Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt if they want to wait around and see what they have in Justin Fields. Their production won’t last forever.
But it would be foolish not to consider the long-term implications of the Fields trade. The team could have brought in plenty of other backups instead of Fields, including the homegrown Mason Rudolph.
Fields was the choice, and there’s a good chance he gets meaningful action in the black and gold at some point during his Pittsburgh tenure. Chris Harris certainly sees the potential in Fields as a long-term option for the Steelers.
“If Justin Fields goes out there and balls, I would not be surprised,” Harris noted. “He’s got all the talent in the world. Getting with a stable offense, he didn’t get a fair shake in Chicago.”
Fields finally had a decent weapon in D.J. Moore this season, but the rest of the Bears’ offense and coaching staff didn’t help him much over his three years there. His 10-28 record is at least partly a product of their weak supporting cast.
The question with Fields would then become, does he stay a Steeler beyond 2024? If he gets in and plays well this year, he may command a lot of money on the open market. If he doesn’t get any burn this season, he may not even want to come back and look for a team where he will get more of an opportunity. Your classic NFL catch-22 scenario.
