As the days pass, it seems more and more likely that Justin Fields will be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback in 2025. Most reports point to Fields being the Steelers’ first option under center. While they can negotiate with him, there’s no guarantee he’ll sign with them. Fields could always test his market in free agency. Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show stated that he believes Fields could take his time before signing a deal.
“Justin’s in no hurry to get signed right now,” Kaboly said Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show. “He has all the power in the relationship right now, considering how needy the NFL is [at] quarterback. Those six games did him really well last year of making him a hot commodity out there.
“So, he’s just gonna play it out here. The Steelers wanna bring him back. They’re gonna make every effort to bring him back. They’re not gonna mention this publicly, but he’s 1A, and if things go awry, then the fallback plan is Russell Wilson.”
It would make sense for Fields to test the open market. While he hasn’t lived up to his billing since he was taken in the first round of the 2021 draft, he’s still an intriguing figure. His athletic profile alone might be enough to entice some teams.
Kaboly is correct that Fields played some of his best football last year. As the Steelers’ starter, Fields went 4-2, throwing for five touchdowns and only one interception. He looked like a capable starting quarterback, and in the NFL, that’s as valuable as gold. Multiple teams currently do not have a starter under center. Fields could be one of the top options available if the Steelers don’t sign him before the legal tampering period begins Monday at noon/ET.
Therefore, a team like the New York Jets could offer Fields a better deal than the Steelers. At the very least, he could gauge what his worth is. Fields probably won’t break the bank this offseason, but every dollar counts.
Thankfully, the Steelers should have a slight advantage over other teams. Fields is familiar with the Steelers’ system, and that could make him feel comfortable in Pittsburgh. He could feel like the Steelers give him the best chance to succeed in the NFL.
However, he could also decide to take his talents elsewhere. According to Kaboly, that could lead the Steelers to pursuing Wilson. That might not sound as appealing to fans. Wilson started for most of the 2024 season, and he wasn’t amazing. In fact, down the stretch, he played pretty poorly. At 36 years old, there’s a high chance Wilson continues to regress, too.
Hopefully, Fields will decide to sign with the Steelers sooner rather than later. They need to figure out their quarterback situation quickly. They have other weaknesses that need addressed, but it’s tough to do that without a clear direction at quarterback. Fields testing free agency probably wouldn’t be great for Pittsburgh.
