While Pittsburgh Steelers QB Justin Fields led the team to a 4-2 record in his six starts in 2024 and showed improved decision-making, there are still valid questions about whether he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Fields had some flashes with the Steelers, but the team also protected him and didn’t really open up the playbook as much, and Fields still had issues with his accuracy at times. He’s set to be a free agent in the coming weeks, and NFL.com’s Matt Okada believes Fields is a “boom or bust” free agent option.
“Justin Fields has flashed plenty of upside in four seasons, but the vast majority of it has come on the ground, while his passing production has remained unsustainably low. He needs the right situation if he’s going to develop into a true franchise QB and not just a rush-package specialist. A franchise that pulls that off on a short-term deal for backup money would land an astronomical value. Otherwise, he’ll merely be one of the league’s most expensive benchwarmers.”
The upside could be there with Fields. He was a first-round pick who never had a good situation in Chicago, and he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league when it comes to using his legs. But he needs to improve as a passer, and he took steps toward doing so in Pittsburgh with his improved decision-making, throwing just one interception in six games. It was a promising sign, but there are still more questions than answers with Fields.
He only started those six games for the Steelers, with the team opting to start Russell Wilson for the rest of the season once he got healthy, and he struggled more than he succeeded in his prior stint with the Chicago Bears. The Steelers seem to like what they have in Fields and want to re-sign him over Wilson, but if Fields hits the open market, teams around the league are going to need to weigh how much to value the six-game sample size and whether they think Fields can be a legitimate starter.
It seems like teams are viewing Fields as a starter, which isn’t a surprise, especially in a weak quarterback market. But the situation and fit for Fields is going to be important, and if his market gets driven up due to interest around the league, someone could wind up paying Fields more than he’s proven to be worth on the open market.
Ideally, a team is hoping that Fields plays more like the quarterback he showed he can be last season with some of the kid gloves taken off in the passing game. Whether it’s with the Steelers or elsewhere though, signing Justin Fields to be a starter comes with some level of risk, and it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up and for how much.
