Most quarterbacks entering their fifth NFL season and starting the majority of that time are maxed out. They are who they are. Good, bad, somewhere in the middle, it’s less about progression than it is refining. Justin Fields might be the exception.
That’s the case analyst Sam Monson made for The 33rd Team, believing Fields game could still grow.
“He has been a quarterback who has a very specific problem,” Monson told co-host Steve Palazzolo on their Check The Mic podcast. “Look at what Matt LaFleur did to Malik Willis. In terms of taking a guy who was a disaster of a passing quarterback in Tennessee, building an offensive game plan around him, and he operated it perfectly.”
Could Justin Fields be the next QB to make a drastic turnaround?
“I still think there’s a jump to be had in Justin Fields—not just like a minor improvement.” 📈@StevePalazzolo_ and @SamMonsonNFL talk about the future for the Steelers’ quarterback. https://t.co/6FTI9MKLtJ pic.twitter.com/cXql39fTII
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) February 15, 2025
Like Fields, Willis was tantalizing but raw coming out of the 2022 NFL Draft. Hailing from Liberty, he had additional competition concerns but was the same lump of clay. Athletic and able to ‘wow’ but processing, accuracy, and consistency needed major work. Pittsburgh scouted him heavily before landing on the more “pro-ready” Kenny Pickett.
Willis fell to the third round before being scooped up by the Tennessee Titans. Pressed into action by starting three games as a rookie, he predictably struggled and the coaching staff quickly gave up. Under new head coach Brian Callahan, the Titans traded him to the Green Bay Packers ahead of the 2024 season. Filling in for an injured Jordan Love, Willis improved thanks to a great offensive mind in head coach Matt LaFleur. He went 2-0 as a starter, completing nearly 75-percent of his passes for 550 yards, three touchdowns, and zero scores. The offense allowed Willis’ legs to flourish, averaging 6.9 yards per carry and one touchdown.
Monson thinks the same can happen to Fields.
“If you find a coach, one of those guys capable of improving those quarterbacks, I still think there’s a jump to be had in Justin Fields. Not just a minor improvement…I think that there’s a giant leap to be had somewhere in Justin Fields.”
Perhaps that’s true. The question is – can Pittsburgh be the right training ground? Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith made progress with Fields in 2024. The coaching staff tightened up his mechanics, especially his footwork, had him play within the scheme, and Fields was more accurate with fewer interceptions. A season with Fields being the clear starter and the scheme built around him, something he’s apparently seeking, could accelerate his development.
But Pittsburgh doesn’t have the quarterback whisperer of a LaFleur in Green Bay, Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, or even Kevin Stefanski across state lines in Cleveland. If Fields hits the open market, he could be tempted to seek out a team that could put him in that fertile environment. And it may leave Pittsburgh watching the rest of Fields’ career play out elsewhere.
