Insider: Justin Fields Likely To Be Pittsburgh Steelers’ Starting Quarterback in 2025…

Justin Fields is set to begin the upcoming OTAs as the backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, behind veteran Russell Wilson.

However, an insider believes Fields has a stronger likelihood of remaining with the Steelers past the 2024 season compared to Wilson.

After being released by the Denver Broncos, Wilson signed a veteran minimum contract with the Steelers for the 2024 season in March, leading to the trade of Kenny Pickett.

With Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky no longer on the team, the Steelers acquired Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears to serve as Wilson’s backup. The Steelers are not anticipated to extend Wilson’s contract.

Both Wilson and Fields are in the final year of their contracts with the Steelers, who decided not to pick up Fields’ fifth-year option. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic suggested that the Steelers will not extend Wilson this summer:

“Wilson is earning the veteran minimum from the Steelers, with the Broncos covering the rest of his $39 million salary. He will become a free agent next year, and the Steelers might lose him, but they cannot justify extending a 35-year-old quarterback before he has played for them.

The Steelers must hope that if Wilson performs well in 2024, he will prioritize staying with the team. Prediction: Not extended.”

The Steelers are taking a gamble by having two quarterbacks on one-year deals. They need to explore a long-term quarterback solution in the next offseason, potentially betting on Fields for the 2025 season. The team hopes Fields will develop in their system.

Kaboly believes the Steelers will extend Fields before the next offseason to secure a starting quarterback for 2025:
“Fields is an interesting case. His fifth-year option wasn’t picked up, which makes sense (it would have guaranteed him $25.7 million in 2025).

His performance over the first three seasons doesn’t justify a big extension. Still, if the Steelers use 2024 to evaluate his potential as a long-term solution, they would lose leverage if he hits free agency.

The smart move is to extend him now at a lower cost, ensuring he remains on the roster in 2025 without heavily impacting the salary cap. The Packers did something similar with Jordan Love, though before the fifth-year option deadline. Prediction: Extended.”

Having Fields as the starter in 2025 wouldn’t cost the Steelers a high draft pick. Ironically, the trade with the Bears involved a conditional sixth-round pick, which could become a 2025 fourth-round pick if Fields plays over 51% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps in the upcoming season.

The Bears might have given the Steelers their long-term starter, albeit a year too soon to gain a Day 2 draft pick.