The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly haven’t made up their mind on whether to retain QB Russell Wilson or QB Justin Fields, both of whom are set to be free agents in March. While Wilson struggled down the stretch, the team preferred him to Fields as a starter last season, and they could do so again this offseason. The 33rd Team’s Tyler Brooke listed the best fits for Fields, and Pittsburgh wasn’t included, but their division rivals were in the Baltimore Ravens.
Along with the Ravens, Brooke listed the Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers as the best landing spots for Fields.
Brooke writes that Fields would likely only wind up in Baltimore if his market was “cold,” but said that learning from Lamar Jackson and Todd Monken would be beneficial for Fields on a short-term deal.
“While Fields would likely never see the field, he’d have an opportunity to work side by side with arguably the best quarterback in the NFL right now, Lamar Jackson. The potential three-time MVP has found out how to develop as a lethal passer without sacrificing his mobility, which is something that Fields could benefit from, especially with a coaching staff featuring offensive coordinator Todd Monken.”
The Steelers broke out a two-quarterback package this season where Fields would come in and spell Wilson, often to run the ball. That wouldn’t be the case in Baltimore, as Fields would be a pure backup to Lamar Jackson, who isn’t coming off the field unless he’s hurt. It’s unlikely that Fields would take a deal to be a true backup, but he could fit what Baltimore wants to do offensively and would be an ideal insurance policy for Jackson as they wouldn’t need to change their offense up too much if he went down.
But after a season where Fields proved he can win as a starter, leading Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start, it’s hard to see his market dying down to the point where he settles taking a backup job behind one of the best quarterbacks in football.
Brooke explained that the Raiders would offer Fields the best chance to start if he left Pittsburgh as a free agent in 2025, while he could be the quarterback-in-waiting for the Rams, as Matthew Stafford isn’t getting any younger. As for the Colts, Brooke believes that signing Fields could “light a fire” under 2023 fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson, and him and Fields would compete for the starting job in Indianapolis. The Colts got a good look at Fields in Week 4, when he almost pulled off a comeback with Pittsburgh trailing 17-3 at the half, throwing for 312 yards and adding another 55 yards on the ground.
Justin Fields also led the Steelers to a win over the Raiders in Week 6, throwing for 145 yards and running for 59 in a 32-13 victory.
Given the relatively weak quarterback market this offseason, it would definitely be surprising if Fields didn’t have an opportunity to start somewhere. It feels most likely that he winds up back in Pittsburgh as their starter, but if the team thinks Wilson is a better option for 2025, then Fields could wind up starting elsewhere. Seeing Justin Fields leave for Baltimore wouldn’t make many Steelers fans happy, but the probability of that feels quite low right now.
