This time last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ visit with Russell Wilson was just starting to be reported. By Sunday evening, Russell Wilson had announced on his X account that he would be signing with the Steelers at the start of the new league year a few days later. With the legal tampering period beginning on Monday, there is not a sense of urgency for the Steelers to finalize a deal with either Justin Fields or Wilson.
According to various reports, the Steelers are leaning towards Field and they are pushing to get a deal done this week. If they let both get to free agency, the matter might be out of their hands, and it could result in an unfavorable outcome as Fields and Wilson are free to negotiate with all 32 teams.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo thinks the Steelers will be forced to move on quickly from Fields if he hasn’t agreed to a deal by the end of the first day of legal tampering.
“I don’t get the sense that anything is imminent, and I think agents use these deadlines like Monday as a negotiating ploy,” Fittipaldo said Wednesday via 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show. “I think more than likely if we see something get done, I think it’ll be over the weekend. But listen, if it gets to Monday, I think Fields’ agent is taking a real gamble if it gets to that point. I don’t get the idea that the Steelers really want to sit around and wait and let this get to free agency.
“If that is the ploy on his part, it better work and it better get done by Sunday night because I think the Steelers will probably go in a different direction if they don’t get Fields done by Monday, early Tuesday at the latest.”
If all the reporting is accurate, the simple reality is that the Steelers can’t ask Wilson to hold out on other opportunities until Fields has made his decision. For one, Wilson probably doesn’t want to be the backup plan. Also, Wilson can’t afford to let other quarterbacks fill vacant starting jobs if the Steelers aren’t going to re-sign him.
On the other hand, Fields would be taking a risk in his own right. The Steelers would be signing him to be their starter. Will it be such a clear path to starting 17 games with other teams? Or could he find that his market value is closer to the Sam Darnold $10 million one-year deal when maybe the Steelers are offering a hair over that to ensure he stays? There is risk on both sides if they let this thing drag out until Monday when the tampering period opens at noon/ET.
Deadlines spur action, so look for a Sunday evening news dump like the one last year. If not, prepare yourselves for the possibility of running it back with Russell Wilson in 2025.
