Analyst: Projected QB worth $283 million “may fall” to the Steelers.
On March 4, The Athletic revealed that the Pittsburgh Steelers are “not pursuing” Justin Fields or any other of the best quarterbacks available this offseason. However, ESPN’s Louis Riddick forecast things might alter if Fields’ trade compensation keeps declining.
On March 6, Riddick made the case on ESPN’s Get Up that Fields would become a desirable trade target for the Steelers due to the lack of trade interest in him.
According to Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot, Riddick stated, “If the market is as soft for Justin Fields as we all believe it is right now, he may fall right into their hands.” What could be more Pittsburgh Steelers than that? They should wait it out, play the game as they see fit, and refrain from acting in a way that is wholly inconsistent with the team’s values. Instead, they should let things come to them.
“I’d wager on something of that nature occurring.”
Fields’ decision to join the Steelers had a lot of momentum for several weeks before The Athletic’s revelation. Depending on the precise pick values, Fields might be worth at least a second-round pick and possibly much more, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter, however, had a change of heart on March 4.
On the Pat McAfee Show, Schefter stated, “I don’t think the market for Justin Fields is as robust as the Bears, and he had thought.”
Even though Fields’ trade value decreased, Spotrac estimated that when he becomes a free agency, he will still be worth $283 million on a six-year contract.
Fields’ 2024 season cap hit will be approximately $6 million. A nearly $25.6 million fifth-year option is included in his rookie contract for 2025.
The Steelers’ Role in the Quarterback Market
The rumors that Pittsburgh will add a high-profile quarterback this offseason through a trade or free agency were dashed by The Athletic’s report. However, this story wasn’t the first to rule out Fields or other starting signal callers being acquired by the Steelers.
in February 17, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed that the Steelers had no interest in bringing in a quarterback who wanted to start in 2024.
“To see if he is the guy to do more than just win a playoff game— something they haven’t done in a franchise-record seven years— they are committed to giving Pickett a third season,” Dulac wrote.
Schefter has maintained that the Steelers are keeping an eye on the quarterback market, though, in spite of what Dulac and The Athletic have stated.
According to Chris Ward of Steelers Now, Schefter stated on The Pat McAfee Show, “They’re looking, they’re absolutely looking, and I would expect at some point they’re gonna add one of those guys.” “They don’t seem to be in a rush to decide to outspend everyone and make a bid for Kirk Cousins on the first day of free agency.
“It’s likely that they will ultimately decide which quarterback to bring on board, but I think they still have high hopes for Kenny Pickett.”
Schefter’s analysis aligns with Riddick’s suggested strategy for Pittsburgh. In other words, the Steelers are cautiously exploring the quarterback market in an effort to avoid overexposing themselves.
The Steelers are openly promoting Pickett as their starting quarterback in 2024.
How Much Would the Steelers Be Willing to Pay for QB Justin Fields?
In the event that the ESPN pundits are right, the issue that arises is: How much are the Steelers willing to pay to acquire Fields?
Riddick refrained from speculating on the draft compensation he would value if the Steelers were to “fall into” Fields. It’s probably not even a second-round pick.
In order to predict a Fields move this offseason, Schefter looked at two previous trades: the Carolina Panthers’ acquisition of Sam Darnold and the Kansas City Chiefs’ acquisition of Alex Smith.
However, Darnold seems like a more appropriate analogy. But that was over ten years ago. Smith was acquired by the Chiefs from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for two second-round picks.
In addition, in the two seasons before his trade, Smith had won a playoff game and had a 19-5-1 record as a starter. Fields has a career record of 10–28.
In exchange for Darnold, the Panthers sent the New York Jets three draft picks, including a second-round selection. Darnold was 13–25 as a starting player for New York before to the trade.
The deal’s second-round pick, though, was for the draft the following year. In return for Darnold, the Jets received only a fourth and sixth-round pick in the 2021 draft.
Maybe the Bears will select in 2025 rather than 2024 for Fields if they want to acquire a second-round pick for him. If not, acquiring Fields could require much less draft capital.
However, it’s still unclear how much less before the Steelers would consent to a trade involving Fields. Assuming they show any interest at all.
And the Steelers will probably need to maintain their patience if they want to win this game of chicken.
On March 4, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated revealed that the Bears plan to reevaluate trade possibilities for Fields until after the start of free agency.
Mason Rudolph could have been re-signed by then by the Steelers.