Earlier this week, there were rumblings that the Pittsburgh Steelers would have their quarterback situation figured out by the end of the week. On Friday, there’s still no answer. Fortunately for Steelers fans, who are growing more impatient by the day, the QB carousel will be forced to figure itself out within the next week. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero thinks so, and he also thinks it will most likely be Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh.
“Another big domino is in Pittsburgh,” Pelissero said, via The Rich Eisen Show on Friday. “Where, Ian Rapoport said it the other day, they’ve been negotiating with Justin Fields. That appears to be Plan A. Russell Wilson’s waiting to see what happens in Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers, to a certain degree, is waiting to see what happens in Pittsburgh.”
The quarterback position is the most important one on the field. As such, it’s become the most important one in free agency as well. If you don’t have consistent quarterback play, it becomes hard to attract free agents. That creates a precarious situation for the Steelers. They have needs at running back and wide receiver, both of which may be addressed in free agency, and rely significantly on QB play. If they can’t figure their quarterback situation out, it will be difficult for them to convince other offensive weapons to sign with them.
It’s even more complicated, since this is the first time Fields has a chance to hit free agency. There are no guarantees in this league. You can’t fault a player for trying to sign as large a contract as possible. This could be the highest Fields’ value ever ends up being. He’d be smart to maximize it and try to find the highest bidder for his services. Unfortunately for the Steelers, that means they may have to wait for him to decide.
Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers are also in limbo, as Pelissero mentions. Wilson has already stated that he wants to remain a Steeler. However, if Fields is Pittsburgh’s first choice, the only chance of Wilson returning would be if Fields signs elsewhere. So, he finds himself in a tough spot. He wants to return to Pittsburgh, but if he waits too long and Fields signs back as a Steeler, he’ll find it harder to land a starting job elsewhere.
Rodgers is in a similar spot. The rumor mill regarding him and the Steelers has been dryer than a desert recently. At his age, and with his personality, he finds himself in a more complicated spot. The Steelers don’t have any interest in him, that we know of. Still, they’d likely be one of the more attractive destinations for Rodgers, especially with the Rams off the table.
