At one point during the 2024 season, Justin Fields had a significant portion of Pittsburgh Steelers fans clamoring for him to be named the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. He wasn’t, and while the Steelers did have some success with Russell Wilson, they flamed out at the end of the year. With Fields set to become a free agent once the league year begins, he’ll need to find a home for 2025. Unfortunately for fans who want Fields to remain in Pittsburgh, he will have other suitors. ESPN’s Ben Solak thinks the New York Giants might be the best one.
“I like Justin Fields to the Giants,” Solak said, via the Up and Adams show on Monday. “Giants have the third overall pick, and I think the Giants want to draft a quarterback without question. But they do have Malik Nabers now. When you start looking at reclamation projects who’ve been successful, most of those guys have had elite wide receivers to throw the ball to, right?”
The Giants would be an interesting destination for Fields. It makes sense that they’d be in the market for a quarterback, no question. However, as Solak mentions, they have the third selection, putting them in prime position to draft a younger quarterback. In that sense, bringing in Fields could be a good idea. This proposal eerily mirrors what the Minnesota Vikings did last offseason. Minnesota drafted J.J. McCarthy in the first round, and brought in Sam Darnold as a reclamation project for McCarthy to learn behind. That plan worked out pretty well, and this one could too, for New York.
Yet, Solak doesn’t think it’s a guarantee that Fields would be the starter in New York. Even if he’s not, Solak does think Fields could have success.
“Even if I’m [Fields] QB2, I’m thinking to myself, man, if I get four to six games as the starter, and I get Brian Daboll designing the quarterback running game for me, I can probably be pretty productive,” Solak said.
Recent reporting suggests that Fields wants a “clear path” to a starting role in 2025. With that in mind, who knows what the chances are of him signing with a team like the Giants, who could draft a quarterback in the first round. Of course, that would be something the two sides would discuss.
There’s a decent chance the Steelers want Fields to return to Pittsburgh next year. Yet, this is the reality they have to live with. There’s no reason for Fields to sign before hitting free agency, where teams like the Giants can offer him as much money and opportunity as they like.
At that point, it will come down to how much the Steelers are willing to pay. They have plenty of areas on the roster which can be improved. If a team like the Giants drives the price up, Pittsburgh will likely look elsewhere at the position.
