Entering Week 8, the Pittsburgh Steelers have as stable a quarterback situation as they have had in years. Russell Wilson will make his second straight for Pittsburgh against the New York Giants on October 28. Meanwhile, Justin Fields, who went 4-2 as the team’s starter in the first six games, is a very capable backup.
But as stable as the situation is for Pittsburgh at the moment, nothing is certain beyond the 2024-25 season. Both Wilson and Fields will be unrestricted free agents in March.
When asked about Fields’ future in Pittsburgh during his latest fan chat, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac suggested that Fields’ play this season will work against him staying with the Steelers.
“I think Fields might have played himself into a job with another team in 2025 with the way he played the first six games,” wrote Dulac.
The longtime Steelers insider didn’t address Wilson’s potential contract situation. But the implication with his analysis of Fields is that the 35-year-old signal caller will return to start in Pittsburgh during 2025.
That’s how Steelers Depot’s Matthew Marczi interpreted Dulac’s analysis.
“Even if the Steelers re-sign Russell Wilson as their starter, they could struggle mightily to afford to retain Justin Fields in the hopes of continuing to develop him as their future franchise quarterback,” wrote Marczi.
“Perhaps if he hadn’t started the first six games, things would be different, but that toothpaste is loose.”
Will the Steelers Be Able to Re-Sign Russell Wilson & Justin Fields?
With their completely revamped quarterback room, the Steelers are 5-2 to begin the 2024 season. They could still improve in the passing game, but Wilson was very efficient in his team debut, averaging 9.1 yards per attempt.
If Wilson continues to be close to that efficient, the Steelers are going to be AFC contenders at the end of the season. The ground game will be a key offensive factor too. The Steelers started two different quarterbacks in Weeks 6 and 7, and yet scored 30-plus points in both games with Najee Harris running for more than 100 yards.
Should the offense continue to flourish with Wilson, then it will probably be a no-brainer for the Steelers to re-sign him. At that point, it might not be cost effective to bring back Fields too.
Even if it is, would Fields want to return as Wilson’s backup? The two quarterbacks reportedly have a great relationship, and the Steelers organization loves Fields. But no one would blame the 25-year-old if he sought an opportunity to start elsewhere in 2025.
Dulac and Marczi suggested that even if Fields doesn’t play again this year, he will have that chance based on how he played in his six starts to begin the season.
However, so many factors could change behind center for the Steelers between now and the offseason. There’s no guarantee Wilson repeats his Week 7 performance. If he regresses back to his 2022-23 form, the Steelers will likely not aim to re-sign Wilson.
He could also re-injure his calf, pushing Fields back into the lineup.
If Fields replaces Wilson and plays well, then Pittsburgh’s offseason quarterback priority is likely to change.
No Sign Steelers Are Interested in Trading Fields
It’s very difficult to project what quarterback is going to look like for Pittsburgh in three months. But there is some level of immediate certainty.
Dulac wrote on October 23 that the Steelers have no interest in entertaining trade offers for Fields.
“They have always believed QB is the most important position in the league, if not all of sports,” Dulac wrote. “Look back over the years, and you will see that’s true. That’s why they traded for Fields. They want backup support in case of injury.
“They are not trading Fields, ok.”
Wilson made 144 consecutive starts in the first nine seasons of his career. But since 2021, he’s missed at least a couple games every year.
This season, he’s already sat out six contests. With aspirations to win the AFC North and more, it’s not a bad idea for the Steelers to have quarterback depth.
It’s just probably going to be difficult for the organization to keep that depth beyond this season.
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