Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are impending free agents, but one of the two might not reach the open market. Acquiring both players in the offseason, Mike Tomlin’s squad planned on starting Wilson throughout the season and keeping Fields as a backup. While injuries forced Fields to begin the season under center, Wilson took the starting job once healthy and never looked back. After playing well early in the season, reports across the league indicated the team planned on extending him after the season.
However, the Steelers took a nosedive as the season progressed, finishing the year on a five-game losing streak where Wilson played like one of the game’s worst quarterbacks. Now, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported the organization is frustrated with Wilson and could choose to move forward with Fields instead of the one-time Super Bowl champion. A separate report indicated some members of the organization wanted Fields to keep the starting job over Wilson, so perhaps he’ll earn a full 17-game opportunity in 2025.
Justin Fields staying with the Steelers is bad news for teams looking for a high-level backup. The present-day version of Wilson isn’t good enough to be a franchise quarterback, but he can be a short-term option and won’t sign with a team that doesn’t give him a chance to compete for a starting job. Fields may have accepted backup work, which means teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs may need to pivot in the offseason.
Ravens, Chiefs Could Be In Trouble If Justin Fields Returns to Steelers
The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs are two of eight teams remaining in the race for the Super Bowl, thanks in large part to their quarterbacks. Reigning MVP Lamar Jackson could take home his third award in the coming weeks, as the former first-round pick is in the midst of arguably the best season of his career. Starting in all 17 games, the quarterback finished the season completing 66.7% of his passes for 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns, and four interceptions while adding another 915 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
There are, at most three human beings on the planet who could duplicate that production, and Justin Fields is not one of them. If Jackson suffers a season-ending injury, Baltimore’s season will effectively be over no matter who the backup is. However, if Jackson suffers a minor ailment that requires a few weeks of rest, a decent backup could keep the ship afloat. Josh Johnson does not fit the bill here, as the career journeyman was never good enough for the NFL and is well past his physical prime. If Justin Fields doesn’t leave the Steelers, perhaps the Ravens pivot to a medium-risk, high-reward backup like Zach Wilson.
Saving Mahomes
Much like Jackson, Patrick Mahomes is an elite quarterback and the Chiefs will not survive if he has to miss an entire season. However, Week 18’s dismal performance shows they must find a better backup in case they need someone to start two or three games in the middle of the upcoming season.
It’s hard to remember now, but there was a time when Carson Wentz was an MVP-caliber quarterback. Unfortunately, injuries and age took their toll on the former second-overall pick, as Wentz had a disastrous performance during his only extended play of the season. Earning the start in a meaningless Week 18 finale, the quarterback completed just 58.8% of his passes for 98 yards while failing to lead a single scoring drive. Justin Fields is an ideal fit for an Andy Reid offense, but if the Steelers keep him, the team may pivot to a proven veteran like Andy Dalton.
Main Photo: Barry Reeger – USA Today Sports
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