The Pittsburgh Steelers are 4-0 since pulling the plug on Justin Fields in favor of Russell Wilson. A controversial decision at the time, Mike Tomlin's commitment to Russ has been vindicated, against all odds. We all held low expectations for Wilson going into the season, but he is executing Arthur Smith's scheme at an extremely high level.
There is potential downside to hitching your wagon to Russ, of course. For the Steelers, that downside is primarily rooted in what could have been with Fields. While Wilson has been the superior quarterback this season, he's also a decade older. Judging from the current landscape, we can expect the Steelers to re-sign Wilson. That has short-term appeal, but what's the future of the QB position in Pittsburgh?
Fields at least provided a sense of legitimate long-term equity at the quarterback position. Now eligible to bolt in free agency, odds are the 25-year-old will go looking for a more stable opportunity next spring. Several QB-needy teams will be interested in Fields with such a weak quarterback class in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. For all his struggles to date, Fields was 4-2 in Pittsburgh before hitting the pine. Removed from the toxicity of the Chicago Bears organization, Fields appears plenty competent.
He played efficient, if not overly explosive football before his demotion, offering dual-threat ability that serves as a genuine ace in the OC's back pocket. There just aren't too many quarterbacks who can move as well as Fields. Should Fields leave in free agency, the Steelers may regret their decision to bank on Wilson's present contributions while sacrificing his counterpart's future.
Here are a few particularly disastrous potential landing spots for Fields next offseason.
Last season was proof positive that Shane Steichen doesn't need much to engineer a productive offense. The Indianapolis Colts were in the thick of the postseason race with Gardner Minshew starting under center. Unfortunately in 2024, Indianapolis has been short on competent quarterbacking. Anthony Richardson, 10 starts into his career, was briefly benched in favor of 39-year-old Joe Flacco. It has been a mess.
Ideally, Richardson begins to establish himself as the obvious QB of the future in Indianapolis. That is the sort of investment the Colts made in the former No. 4 pick. That said, if Richardson's mistake-prone nature persists, there's a good chance Steichen begs the front office for a more bankable alternative. Enter Fields, who can execute many of the same dual-threat packages as Richardson without committing the same volume of unforced errors.
Fields doesn't have half the arm that Richardson does, to be frank, but the latter is just too erratic with his decision-making for that to matter right now. There's still plenty of time for Richardson to improve, but Fields is only a couple years older with recent success in a starting gig. He at least gives Indy a real QB competition in training camp, with the potential for Fields to emerge as a viable leader for a postseason-bound Colts team. The Steelers don't want to see Fields in the playoffs.
Every quarterback looks better in the Sean McVay offense, as proven by all the quarterbacks who have found success under McVay's myriad disciples around the league. Matthew Stafford's contract expires at the end of the season and he's getting close to retirement. The Los Angeles Rams would love to remain competitive with Stafford for a couple more years, but it may not be realistic.
At that point, it's time to canvass the league for a replacement. Stetson Bennett won't cut it. Why not Fields, whose dual-threat ability might unlock exciting new packages in McVay's playbook? The Rams certainly don't want to bet on a weak draft at the QB position and McVay isn't one to shy away from a postseason pursuit. Fields guarantees some level of immediate competence with potential yet untapped.
This is probably the best possible landing spot for Fields from a schematic and personnel standpoint. The Rams have been beset by injuries all season, but a healthy Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp is a great safety blanket for any quarterback. It's not hard to imagine Fields going to L.A., winning the starting job, and performing at a high level for a competitive Rams team with recent Super Bowl pedigree.
LA isn't an immediate threat to the Steelers in the NFC, but watching Fields flourish in an optimal environment could elicit feelings of regret for Pittsburgh's front office and coaching staff.
The Cleveland Browns are 2-8 this season behind consistently disastrous QB play from Deshaun Watson and Jameis Winston. It's a lost campaign for the Browns, but we aren't too far removed from Cleveland profiling as the best defense in the NFL. Kevin Stefanski (or whoever coaches next season) has pieces to work with.
The Watson contract is a major albatross around the Browns' neck, but replacing him with the imminently affordable Fields is a justifiable — perhaps even recommended — action. At a certain point, Cleveland just needs to cut its losses. Watson is better as an expensive bench ornament than an active deterrent to the Browns' competitive aspirations. Fields can step in and liven up the Cleveland offense with his dynamic running and generally mistake-averse play.
It's hard to imagine a more nightmarish outcome from the Steelers' perspective. If Fields leaves and finds success, that's one thing. If he leaves and actively tortures Pittsburgh in its own division, that's a tough beat. Fields would surely relish the chance to beat Russell Wilson head-to-head twice per season. The Browns probably aren't as bad as their record suggests with proper health and a palatable quarterback. Just saying...
