If the Pittsburgh Steelers want to retain one of Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, they better do it before the free agency begins March 12 and the legal tampering period opening up 48 hours earlier. In a year without a long list of quarterback options, Fields and Wilson are expected to have league-wide appeal should they reach the open market.
In a Combine buzz article from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano shared Sunday morning, Wilson and Fields will have suitors beyond Pittsburgh. For Wilson, the New York Giants remain in play after missing out on Los Angeles Rams’ QB Matthew Stafford.
“Russell Wilson considers the Giants a potential option for him, should he fail to re-sign with Pittsburgh.”
The Wilson-Giants connection isn’t brand new and has been floated the past several weeks but could intensify after Stafford reached an agreement to remain with the Rams. Wilson visited the New York before flying into Pittsburgh last season and the Giants still have a need at quarterback after a miserable season. Aaron Rodgers’ name has picked up steam in recent days but Fowler and Graziano downplayed, though did not rule out, the possibility. Wilson is younger and more mobile, potentially giving him the edge.
Fields’ free agency market is expected to be even busier. In the article, the Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, and New York Jets were all mentioned as possibly having interest.
“Fields should have options. The Jets, for one, are expected to gauge his market. His skill set would fit in Chip Kelly’s scheme in Las Vegas, too.”
“As the Colts look for veteran quarterback options, names on their radar include Daniel Jones, Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Jacoby Brissett.”
The Jets and Raiders desperately need a quarterback to jumpstart their franchise’s new regimes. Sam Darnold seems in play for Las Vegas but Minnesota could still re-sign him. The Colts are a sleeper openly discussing needing competition for Anthony Richardson. But the job might not be attractive enough for Fields, who wants a clear pathway to start an entire season. New York, Las Vegas, and Pittsburgh – who seem to have Fields as the favorite over Wilson – all would provide a better opportunity.
Pittsburgh’s public free agency goal has been retaining one of Fields or Wilson, not wanting to start anew with an outside option. But a weak market coupled with a shallow draft pool puts both quarterbacks in higher demand. With that, their price tag increases and could beat current expectations.
Projections have had Fields making less than $10 million per season, a number hard to believe if multiple teams are interested in him starting. At $25 million average yearly value, the Seattle Seahawks’ Geno Smith was the cheapest non-rookie, full-time starting quarterback a year ago while ahead of 2024, Gardner Minshew’s two-year contract with the Raiders averaged $12.5 million per year. Would Fields really get less than that? All questions that will be answered once free agency begins 10 days from now.
