As the days go on, it looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers have more and more options at quarterback. A new report says the Steelers have checked on Matthew Stafford’s availability. That would be a huge move, but it’s still uncertain if it will happen. The most likely outcome still feels like the Steelers retaining one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. Chris Simms doesn’t believe that’s the best strategy for the Steelers, though.
“Again, I like Justin Fields, and I root for him, but I feel like, one, if they bring Russell Wilson back, the fan base, and I don’t think the locker room would be in love with that,” Simms said Monday on Pro Football Talk. “Justin Fields, I feel like is gonna leave a little bit of a stale taste in everybody’s mouth too.
“I don’t think it’s gonna excite Pittsburgh if they go, ‘We’re bringing Justin Fields back to be the starter.’ If they want to bring him back, that’s great, but I still think they’ve gotta bring somebody else in there to maybe be the starter, challenged him, whatever that might be.”
Fields might not be the most exciting name on the market, but that doesn’t make him a bad option. He started six games for the Steelers last year, and he didn’t look terrible. While he might not be their quarterback of the future, Fields’ best football could still be in front of him. That might not be true for many other quarterbacks on the market.
Last year, it felt like Wilson’s wheels fell off as the year ended. He used to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but that’s not true anymore. The same could be said for other quarterbacks on the move.
Although Aaron Rodgers might have a little more left in the tank, he’s even older than Wilson, and he didn’t look like the same player in 2024. Kirk Cousins, who seems to be available, is basically in the same boat. Sam Darnold had his best professional season last year, but it seems doubtful that he’d enjoy the same success in Pittsburgh.
Stafford looks like the only option who could truly elevate the Steelers. However, he could still stay with the Los Angeles Rams. If the Steelers want to acquire Stafford, they’d have to offer the Rams an attractive trade package. And there’s no guarantee their offer will be the best one on the table.
Therefore, Fields might be the most likely option for the Steelers. That might be boring, but there’s nothing wrong with that. In six starts last year, Fields threw five touchdown passes and only one interception. He also rushed for five touchdowns. After getting a full offseason as the Steelers’ starter, he could be even better. Continuity and familiarity don’t equate to being stale in this scenario.
