The Chicago Bears have a franchise-defining decision to make at quarterback this offseason, where the expectation is they’ll move on from Justin Fields and draft Caleb Williams with the first overall pick.
Which means Fields’ time in Chicago is all but done at this point. But despite some shortcomings — and plenty of losing — with the Bears, there’s expected to be an active market for Fields’ services.
There are a number of quarterback-needy teams who aren’t in a position to draft one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL draft, so they’ll either reach in the first round of the draft or look elsewhere around the league.
One of the teams that’s emerged as a potential trade partner for Fields is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are having their own quarterback issues.
During an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show,” ESPN insider Adam Schefter explained why Fields to the Steelers is gaining some traction.
“We know Pittsburgh’s going to go out and get some type of quarterback, whether that’s Ryan Tannehill, whether that’s Russell Wilson, whether that’s Justin Fields,” Schefter said. “Mike Tomlin is a big fan of Justin Fields, keep that in mind during the offseason and the coming weeks.”
"Pittsburgh is gonna go out and get another Quarterback..
Keep in mind that Mike Tomlin is a big fan of Justin Fields" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/DwBl0w2tWi
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 12, 2024
The Steelers are selecting 20th in the 2024 NFL draft, so they’re far out of a position to draft a top prospect. Perhaps the Bears could wrangle Pittsburgh’s No. 20 pick in exchange for Fields and probably another Day 2/3 selection.
While Fields’ time in Chicago hasn’t panned out, there’s plenty of blame to go around — starting with the Bears failing to develop him. But he’s proven to be an electric playmaker in the NFL, and if he gets the right coaches around him, perhaps he could turn things around.
