Steelers Will Absolutely See Teams Throw Money At Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin was undaunted in his decision to have quarterback Russell Wilson start in Week 7. This surprised many when Justin Fields was successful during the first several games of the season. Fields took over for Wilson when the former Super Bowl winner went down with a calf injury early in training camp. However, Tomlin had always said that Wilson had "pole position," and when he was finally healthy, he turned the team over to him, even though Fields had them at 4-2. 

Both quarterbacks are in the Steel City on a one-year contract. Fields was traded from the Chicago Bears, and Wilson was basically paid by the Denver Broncos to go away. Most agree that the team won't be able to retain both quarterbacks in 2025, and Tomlin and General Manager Omar Khan need to be able to make a decision about who they want to keep. 

Steelers insider Gerry Dulac said that he believes Tomlin will want to keep Wilson and that they will come to some kind of a deal. He also said that he thinks another team will come along and offer Fields a huge contract based on how well he performed through those first six weeks. On a recent episode of The PM Team w/Poni and Mueller, Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show, was asked about Dulac's comment. The hosts wanted to know if he agreed with what Dulac said about Fields getting a solid offer from a team other than the Steelers.  

"Probably," acknowledged Kaboly. "I would think so. Quarterbacks, there's always 10-12 teams in the league that are always looking for a quarterback. Now, how do you approach that if you're Justin? 'I've had some success here.' Russell's 36 coming up here. Where does he go from here? He has to make that decision himself, but I can see somebody throwing a decent amount of money at him. Just like people are going to throw decent money at Dan Moore. There are positions that are very thin in the NFL, and people will overpay. I've said this name millions of times, you think Tepper in Carolina wouldn't take Justin Fields right now? I think he would."

Some ridiculous trade scenarios suggest the Steelers should deal Fields to another team before the deadline. Kaboly mentioned that David Tepper, the owner of the Carolina Panthers, would likely be interested in someone like Fields. Another team that has been mentioned as a possible destination is the Miami Dolphins, whose quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, has been battling frequent concussions. 

The Steelers have an unwritten rule of not negotiating contracts while in the middle of a season. So, it is unlikely that they would agree to anything with Wilson or Fields until the season ends. 

Steelers' Russell Wilson Could Also Be Looking At A Big Contract

Kaboly was also asked what he thought Wilson's contract could look like if the Steelers decide to keep him. The question was whether they would give him a Baker Mayfield-like contract. Mayfield, who is currently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed a three-year, $100 million deal to stay there. 

While that seemed a bit high to Kaboly for a quarterback who is about to turn 36, he thought they'd be amenable to something similar. However, he felt they would prefer to keep it to only two years. 

Quarterbacks who promise a postseason victory can command big numbers in the current NFL. While Mayfield's contract might seem high, it isn't unreasonable. Dak Prescott is 31, and he signed a four-year $240 million contract. Trevor Lawrence has just one playoff win to his name, but he earned a five-year $275 million deal. 

What do you think will happen with Fields in 2025? Click to comment below. 

#SteelerNation