After a trying wait and weeks of speculation, Justin Fields has finally been traded. The former Chicago Bears’ signal caller has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 sixth-round pick that goes as high as a fourth-round pick based on playing time as confirmed by CBS Sports Senior NFL Insider Jonathan Jones.
Fields’ future in the ‘Windy City’ had been dangling by a thread since Week 9 of the 2023 campaign, when rumors started to swirl about the Bears’ long-term plans for him. In the end, the Bears ultimately decided to restart the clock at the quarterback position while in good faith giving Fields a fresh start with a new team, just like GM Ryan Poles stated last month at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. That organization is the Steelers, who have reportedly had their eye on Fields for quite some time.
In the ‘Steel City’, Fields will join forces with nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, who was signed this week just before the Steelers traded former starter Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles. Wilson is slated to be Pittsburgh’s starter with Fields serving as his backup, per ESPN.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe trading of Fields leaves little doubt that the Bears will select former USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick. The Bears’ next starting quarterback will have an excellent supporting cast around him, a group that includes wideouts Keenan Allen and DJ Moore, running back D’Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett.
From a dollars and cents perspective, the Steelers are in great shape at the quarterback spot. Fields is going into the final year of his rookie contract and has a cap hit of just $3.2 million. The Steelers will have a hard deadline of May 2 to pick up his and running back Najee Harris’ fifth-year options.
The Steelers got the friends and family discount, signing Wilson for the veteran’s minimum of $1.21 million as the Broncos are paying him $39 million not to have him on their roster in 2024. Even with the acquisition of Fields, the Steelers still have the financial flexibility to add to their roster in free agency. Expect Pittsburgh to add another pass catcher to the mix via free agency relatively soon.
Fields went a subpar 10-28 as the Bears’ starting quarterback. While his record did not blow anyone’s socks off, Fields nonetheless showed glimpses of his endless potential that compelled Chicago to select him with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Ohio State University. His completion percentage increased during each of his three seasons with the Bears. In 2022, Fields recorded the second-highest rushing total for a quarterback in NFL history, only behind Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. Last season, he set career highs in completion percentage, passing yards and touchdown passes while throwing a career-low nine interceptions. On the other hand, he missed four games with a broken thumb.
In college, Fields enjoyed a successful career. A two-year starter in Columbus, Fields led the Buckeyes to back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff. His most iconic moment with the Buckeyes was his six-touchdown performance in Ohio State’s 49-28 win over Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson Tigers in the 2021 Sugar Bowl.
In a social media post Saturday, Fields thanked the Bears organization and the city of Chicago “for allowing me the opportunity to be part of such a historic franchise.”
Fields will look to further tap into his potential in Pittsburgh, who have completely cleaned house and turned over their quarterback room over the past month.
