Even before the Pittsburgh Steelers officially declined the fifth-year option attached to the rookie contract for quarterback Justin Fields this spring, some suggested Pittsburgh could essentially replace that option with a short-term extension similar to how the Green Bay Packers handled the situation regarding signal-caller Jordan Love last offseason.
Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly of The Athletic touched upon the subject in his latest mailbag.
"The Packers gave Jordan Love $13.5M to keep him around another year, but they were more confident he was going to be their quarterback of the future than what the Steelers feel about Fields after 12 practices in shorts," Kaboly explained. "I don’t think the Steelers would touch that number, but they would have to entice him enough to make him want to sign."
While it was thought as recently as last month that Pittsburgh would want to lock Fields down through the next two seasons after it acquired him from the Chicago Bears for a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick in March, such takes were offered before free-agency signing Russell Wilson emerged as the alleged "undisputed leader" of the Steelers offense.
Both Fields and Wilson can reach free agency after the upcoming season, and Kaboly understandably thinks Fields could want a change of scenery if he's relegated to backup duties for most or even all of the 2024 campaign.
"Maybe he wants to hit free agency after the season and find a better chance with more money," Kaboly added about Fields. "Remember, there’s always more to these situations than 'just sign him.' The player has to want to stay, too, and we don’t know about that one way or the other yet."
As shared by Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah made it clear during a Monday appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show" that Pittsburgh's starting job is "Wilson's gig" because of how the veteran "impressed" the club's coaching staff during springtime workouts.
"The dedication and work ethic has been described to me as off-the-charts," Jeremiah said about Wilson. "He's there all the time. He's really worked to get to know his teammates and develop those relationships. They're really bullish on him."
Some think Fields could continue to push Wilson through the preseason regardless of what individuals such as Jeremiah continue to say about what seems to be a competition in name only.
At this point, Fields may want to bet on himself by remaining in a contract year until he has a better understanding of what his role will be when Pittsburgh opens the regular season at the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8.
