When the Pittsburgh Steelers came into the NFL offseason, it was expected that Mason Rudolph would be re-signed at quarterback. After everything was said and done, not only did the Steelers replace Rudolph and Kenny Pickett with Russell Wilson, but they also pulled off a big trade with the Chicago Bears for Justin Fields.
No one saw the Steelers as a top destination for Fields after they signed Wilson. Many thought Pickett would be kept on to be his backup. However, it’s clear that Pittsburgh is very high on Fields for the future.
At this point in time, it appears that Fields will begin the season as the backup to Wilson. Mike Tomlin and Wilson have a great chemistry and the veteran quarterback was signed to start. There is still a competition, but Fields will likely have to wait a bit to get his shot on the field.
While he may not start right off the bat, there are some who believe that Fields will end up being the starter by the end of the year. One ESPN analyst is certainly a big fan of the fit between the Steelers and Fields.
ESPN Analyst Doesn’t Hold Back On Steelers QB Justin Fields
ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick spoke out about Fields and his new situation with the Steelers. To say that he is expecting big things in the future would be an understatement.
“This offense is tailor-made for exactly what he needs, I believe, to take his game to another level.”
Throughout his young NFL career thus far, Fields has shown flashes of being a star. However, he has also had quite a few disappointing moments as well.
He has played in 40 games so far during his career over three seasons. During those appearances, Fields has completed 60.3 percent of his pass attempts for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions. He has also picked up 2,220 yards and 14 more touchdowns on the ground.
While those numbers don’t scream “superstar” by any stretch, they aren’t horrible.
Considering the offensive line that Fields has had to work with in Chicago, those numbers aren’t shabby. He has truly been running for his life with the Bears. That is going to change with the Steelers.
At just 25 years of age, the future is still very bright for Justin Fields. Being able to learn from Wilson and be coached by Tomlin will be a big step for his career. Those are two things that many young quarterbacks would kill to have.
Will he end up starting at some point during the 2024 season? We’ll just have to wait and see. But, there is no doubt that his future is brighter following the trade to Pittsburgh than it was in Chicago.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to monitor the Steelers’ quarterback situation this season. They have two talented quarterbacks and Fields will be pushing Wilson for playing time.
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