PFF Proposes Trade to Bring Justin Fields to Steelers
Pro Football Focus has the Pittsburgh Steelers landing Justin Fields for a trade package they believe is fair compensation.
The Pittsburgh Steelers seem interested in at least the idea of getting Justin Fields. Even if the public endorsements of Kenny Pickett have been plentiful this offseason, the smoke around Fields is continuing to pop up time and time again. So, what would a trade look like?
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus believes the Pittsburgh Steelers can land Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields with a second-round pick in 2024 and fifth-round pick in 2025.
“Pittsburgh is one team looking for a legitimate competition at quarterback this offseason, with 2022 first-round quarterback Kenny Pickett not making the strides they’d hoped through two years, getting supplanted late in the season by third-stringer Mason Rudolph. Fields’ elite athleticism adds an entirely different dynamic to a Steelers offense that was quite stale in 2023, and he opens up the downfield passing game that has been lacking,” Spielberger wrote. “Over the past two seasons, Fields has 15 touchdowns to six interceptions on passes targeted 20-plus yards downfield, whereas Pickett has six and eight, respectively. Fields has a higher passing grade, a nearly doubled passer rating and a lower turnover-worthy play rate on such passes. From Fields’ perspective, he gets to play with a legitimate duo at wide receiver in George Pickens and Diontae Johnson.”
The Bears will have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and must decide whether they want to attempt to build around Fields or trade him and use that pick to land one of the top quarterbacks in the draft class, USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
Fields took a small step forward in 2023, his third year as Chicago’s starting quarterback. The 24-year-old Ohio State alum threw 370 times, completing 227 for 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns. He threw nine interceptions and maintained an 86.3 passer rating and a 5.29 adjusted net yards per attempt.
Last season, he was 192 of 318 for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, an 85.2 quarterback rating and 4.63 adjusted net yards per attempt.
Fields is entering the final year of his rookie contract and the Bears — or another team, if he’s traded — must decide this offseason if they want to pick up the fifth-year option on his contract. That would be a guaranteed $25 million contract for 2025. The Bears or another club could also attempt to negotiate a traditional contract extension.
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