Steelers' Justin Fields Named a Top Trade Target for NFC Squad Amid Wilson Drama

   

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields has pretty clearly lost his job to Russell Wilson this week, even if head coach Mike Tomlin isn't willing to publicly admit that just yet. 

As a result, Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports named Fields the top trade candidate at his position across the NFL. 

"Could Fields be traded again? Maybe," Dajani wrote on Friday, October 18. "I'd be a little miffed if I led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 4-2 record while completing a career-high 66.3% of my passes and scoring 10 total touchdowns compared to one interception [and got benched]." 

Somewhat ironically, one of Dajani's other top QBs most likely to be traded -- even if it's not all that likely -- is second-year signal caller Bryce Young, who also found himself benched early in the season.  

"Then, there's Young," Dajani continued. "I have a hard time believing the Carolina Panthers will trade him after mortgaging the future of the franchise for the former Alabama star. But, it's possible. It would probably be beneficial for him."

Here's the rub, however: if Carolina is going to part ways with Young, the team and its first-time, first-year head coach Dave Canales need a longer-term solution than Andy Dalton. 

The "Red Rifle" got them a win over the Las Vegas Raiders in his first tour of duty as Young's relief then promptly lost his next three starts by a combined 54 points.

Fields, still just 25 years old, is in the final season of his rookie contract and showed an improved completion percentage in Pittsburgh, while also displaying an elite ability to move the football with his legs. 

Is he the savior the Panthers thought Young might be when they selected him No. 1 overall in last year's NFL draft? Almost certainly not. But he has the potential to be better than anything the franchise has had in a while.