Sleeper AFC Team Tabbed as Great Fit for Justin Fields
The current sense is that the Pittsburgh Steelers want to move forward with Justin Fields as their quarterback, but the two sides have not been able to land a deal yet, and time is ticking with the start of free agency just a few days away.
If Fields doesn’t stay in the Steel City, he should have a robust market in a thin free agency QB class. Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated thinks the Indianapolis Colts would be an ideal landing spot for the 26-year-old QB. The Colts haven’t been heavily linked to Fields, but they are a team with quarterback question marks, as Anthony Richardson hasn’t panned out yet.
“Fields hasn’t lived up to his first-round draft stock, but he’s a talented youngster with dual-threat abilities. In other words, the perfect fit for coach Shane Steichen,” Verderame wrote. “If the Colts are serious about opening up a full-blown quarterback competition this summer with Anthony Richardson, adding Fields would be a good way to do that without breaking the bank.”
Former NFL agent Joel Corry expects Justin Fields to get a Sam Darnold-type of contract in free agency. Darnold received a one-year, $10 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings last year.
“Fields’ plan should be to find the best opportunity to be a starting quarterback, just like Darnold did in free agency last year,” Corry wrote. “Darnold signing a one-year, $10 million deal with the Vikings is going to pay big dividends for him.”
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated also expects Fields to receive a similar market as Darnold’s in the 2024 offseason.
“Speaking of the Steelers, this is, of course, a big week for Pittsburgh to try to get Justin Fields re-signed,” Breer wrote. “He’ll have options elsewhere—one team would be the New York Jets, and I wouldn’t be stunned to see Indy throw its hat in the ring—if he gets to the market. I think he has a shot to get a deal like Sam Darnold got with the Minnesota Vikings last year.”