The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback situation and how things will shake out this season between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields is a big topic of discussion right now, but with both on one-year deals, it’s worth pondering what could happen down the line. Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr took an early look at the potential 2025 quarterback carousel, and with Wilson and Fields both potentially free agents, Orr made a prediction for their future stops. While he thinks Fields will re-up in Pittsburgh, he thinks Wilson could depart for the Carolina Panthers if things don’t work out with the Steelers.
“Bryce Young is catching a lot of strays here, but there’s no doubt the current Panthers staff did wonders with Wilson in Seattle. If Wilson can’t make it work in Pittsburgh, could Carolina be an option in more of a veteran, mentoring role?”
Carolina’s head coach, Dave Canales, worked with Wilson in Seattle as a quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator from 2018 to 2021. Before that, he was the receivers coach with the Seahawks from 2010 to 2017. The familiarity there, especially with a young quarterback in Young who could learn from Wilson, would make sense if things don’t work out with the Steelers.
That’s the big caveat that Orr throws in here. If Wilson plays well, the Steelers will be inclined to keep him, especially if the team can have some playoff success this season. But Fields could be ready to take over after this season, and Orr thinks he will get a Baker Mayfield-type deal from the Steelers.
“Fields will re-sign with the Steelers on a Baker Mayfield–style three-year deal at season’s end.”
Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million contract with $50 million guaranteed with Tampa Bay this offseason, and if that’s the contract Pittsburgh is doling out, then the intent would be for Fields to be Pittsburgh’s quarterback of the future. That would likely signal that Wilson is leaving in free agency, and if the Steelers do keep Wilson, it’s unlikely that they’d give Fields that sort of contract.
It’s obviously a very, very early prediction from Orr, and we aren’t even at training camp yet. But the Steelers don’t want to have to reset at quarterback for the second offseason in a row, so the future contract situation is at least worth monitoring. I wouldn’t count on things going south with Wilson and him departing, but it’s certainly a possibility to consider.
Orr is high on Fields, writing that he could be a top-12 quarterback in the league with proper development. Given that he’s still only 25, the idea of him being Pittsburgh’s future quarterback makes a lot of sense. But if Wilson plays well, turning the page might not be easy, even though he’ll be 36 in November.
That scenario would be best for the Steelers, though, as they’re a team that needs to have some success this season, with them not having won a playoff game since 2016. It might lead to a short-term extension for Wilson, but then Fields’ situation becomes unclear. But if the Steelers are winning, they’ll stick with the quarterback who contributes most to them winning, whether they feel that’s Wilson or Fields. It’s a problem mostly for the next offseason, but there is no doubt that Omar Khan and the Steelers front office are considering every situation.
