If it’s Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, or the field, NFL Insider Albert Breer is taking Door No. 3. Responding to his question on who has the best chance to start in Pittsburgh next year, Fields or Wilson, Breer threw a curveball answer.
“I’d say an outside QB, then Justin Fields, then Russell Wilson,” Breer responded in his MMQB mailbag.
Breer again teased the idea of Aaron Rodgers or Matthew Stafford being top external options. During Super Bowl week, Breer made a full-court press for why Pittsburgh should be interested in Stafford, a possible trade option if contract talks with the Los Angeles Rams fall through. Adding Stafford would make Pittsburgh far more competitive with a true and talented quarterback option, at least for the short-term, and would maximize the window the Steelers’ defense has with an aging DL Cam Heyward and EDGE T.J. Watt.
Still, there’s been no concrete reporting of the Rams wanting to trade Stafford. In fact, it’s been the opposite with national reports indicating Stafford is likely to stay as Los Angeles attempts to make a playoff run of its own. The Rams fell just shy of the NFC Championship Game in 2024 and subtracting Stafford without a logical replacement would set the franchise back.
Breer hinted at a scenario in which Fields re-signs, and the team adds competition.
“Meanwhile, the team would love to keep working with Fields,” he wrote. “I just don’t think they’ll hand him the starting job.”
It’s worth noting Breer has been pro-Fields throughout the season, including around the time when Mike Tomlin had to decide – and did decide – to switch him for Russell Wilson. So his words here may come with a slant and angle. But at the least, if Fields re-signs, the team will need a competent and capable backup and Pittsburgh doesn’t mind at least the narrative of a quarterback competition, holding them in 2022 and 2024 (even if Mitch Trubisky and Russell Wilson felt like sure bets to start those seasons).
Steelers owner Art Rooney II is on record stating a “preference” to retain Wilson or Fields under the assumption whoever returns would start Week 1. He also hoped the quarterback who re-signs inks a multi-year deal, giving Pittsburgh some clarity on options for 2026 instead of going into another offseason without a quarterback under contract, as is the case (until the team signed Skylar Thompson to a Reserve/Futures deal). That still seems like the most likely course. Rodgers is immobile and a one-year stop-gap, Stafford isn’t yet on the block, and Kirk Cousins looked a shell of himself in 2024 and offers no benefit for Pittsburgh.
Instead, sticking with one of Fields or Wilson to go into a Year 2 with OC Arthur Smith in the hopes of building something is the Steelers’ best bet. Not necessarily a good bet, their Super Bowl aspirations are asteroid-hitting-Earth miles away, but it’s better than the uninspiring options Breer is favoring.
