One year ago, Justin Fields’s future was one of the biggest discussions of the offseason. The first round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2021 was wrapping up a disappointing stint in the Windy City and was about to be moved to clear the way for the player that would be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Caleb Williams.
When teams converged at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, Fields was in the news again. The soon-to-be 26-year-old was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a sixth-round pick and won four of his six starts. But he was benched for Russell Wilson and appears to be on the move as he enters free agency.
With the ability to choose his team, the former Bear has a chance to find a starting job next season and several teams entered the mix over the weekend.
Steelers, Jets, Raiders Among Teams Interested in Justin Fields
A notebook by ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler revealed that the Steelers, New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders are among the teams interested in signing Justin Fields this offseason. While Fowler believes the Steelers have the edge, he believes he’ll have options after listing the Indianapolis Colts later in the article.
“The sense I get is that Justin Fields has an edge over Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh’s free agent quarterback pecking order,” Fowler wrote. “There is sentiment for Fields in the building and both sides would be open to a return. The Steelers have at least another week to crystalize those plans, and they certainly haven’t ruled out Wilson at this point. Regardless, Fields should have options. The Jets, for one, are expected to gauge his market. His skillset would fit in [offensive coordinator] Chip Kelly’s scheme in Las Vegas, too.”
Field’s priority should be to find a starting job this offseason and the Steelers, Jets and Raiders all present opportunities. Wilson is a free agent and not expected to return to Pittsburgh with Fields while the Jets are looking to replace Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to be released before the start of free agency on March 12.
The Raiders are also an interesting destination after they hired 73-year-old Pete Carroll as their new head coach and have $99 million in cap space to surround Fields with weapons in free agency.
A strong market seems odd considering Fields only threw for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in 10 games last season. But with a weak draft class and an even weaker free agent pool, Fields could be one of the most sought after commodities when free agency begins.