The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely know what they’re doing with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson very soon. The new league year begins next week, and players can talk to other teams even before then. The working theory is that the Steelers would prefer to re-sign Fields but that he wants to test the market.
Barring an offer that blows the doors off, many reason that Justin Fields should see what teams other than the Steelers are proposing. While that may be the case, Ray Fittipaldo isn’t convinced his imagined suitors are out there. Ultimately, he believes, they pair best with each other—as far as this offseason goes.
“Where is he gonna go where he’s gonna be promised a [starting] job”? he asked on 93.7 The Fan yesterday when discussing Fields’ possible alternatives to the Steelers. “He might be promised a job and then whatever team makes that promise, they’re probably gonna turn around and bring in a challenger for him, too”.
This is not an unreasonable point, by any means, and we don’t have to search far for precedent. No player should ever trust that a team’s verbal guarantee means anything. Not after what the Atlanta Falcons did. After giving Kirk Cousins $100 million guaranteed just last year, they drafted a quarterback in the first round. Why would Justin Fields trust any team, including the Steelers, when things like this happen?
Others are higher on Fields’ market outside of the Steelers than Fittipaldo is. Mark Kaboly, for example, suggested that the quarterback currently has all the power. Fittipaldo, however, doesn’t really see that all that much has changed from a year ago. Fields started six games and generally did okay. But by and large, that was versus comparisons to his play with the Bears.
“There was no market for him last year”, he argues, though technically the Steelers traded for Fields. There were other teams willing to trade for him (at least one willing to offer more). But it’s still fair to point out that he was far from a hot commodity. “I just struggle with who would make him that offer, who would make him happy. I still think the Steelers are the best option for him, and I think Fields is the best option for the Steelers”.
There are about half a dozen teams or so this offseason very much in the market for a new quarterback. It’s fair to question whether all of those teams will find a solution that satisfies them, including the Steelers. And I think it is fair to wonder if, in a stronger market, we would be thinking of Justin Fields as much more than a Tyrod Taylor.
Fittipaldo was not arguing against the Steelers signing Fields, of course. Rather, he was offering skepticism that other teams will view him as highly as the Steelers do. Fields may be biding his time now, waiting to see his market, but he may come away disappointed. Or maybe there really is a team out there willing to offer him $20 million per year and a verbal commitment to start. If there is, how do the Steelers counter?
