The Steelers are once again struggling at the quarterback position. They completely upheaved the room last year and brought in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. On paper, this was a massive step up from Kenny Pickett, and while both proved to be more dynamic, neither looked great.
Fields was benched for Wilson, and he collapsed down the stretch. An argument can be made to completely redo this room once again.
Based on recent comments from Mike Tomlin though, the team appears open to making Fields the starter. Given his youth, that makes sense, but the team was content with keeping him on the bench for most of the season after they turned to Wilson. The last stretch of play was brutal though, so going back to Fields has some logic to it.
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So what does a future with Fields look like?
There is a lot to consider. He is also a free agent this year, so he will likely have options. If the Steelers want him back, they will need to make him a serious offer and give him some security as a starter.
What would a new deal like for the Steelers?
The first issue to navigate is that Pittsburgh will want to sign Fields to a multi-year deal, while he will want a shorter deal to showcase his value. The easy compromise is a two-year deal here, with an out for the team next year. Pittsburgh is notorious for this with roster bonuses due before the new league year starts. Play good enough, you earn that money, if not, the team can cut bait.
Now, in order for Fields to agree to a deal like this, it has to be a fair value for him. He won’t lock himself up for multiple years for cheap just to stay in Pittsburgh. He will also want some semblance of starter money.
I used Over the Cap’s contract builder to come up with a fair deal. The base of it is two years worth 49 million overall with a 25 million dollar signing bonus. Giving him a small salary in year one would only give him a cap hit of around 14 million dollars. A reasonable number, and one that allows you to add talent around him still.
Year two would include a 10 million dollar roster bonus as well as an elevated salary. Essentially, he is playing for the rest of the deal in 2025. If he earns it, his cap hit would be 35 million dollars next year. If you are comfortable keeping him though, a legitimate long-term deal could be negotiated to lower that cap hit.
If he doesn’t live up to the deal, you can cut him having only paid him just over 25 million dollars for the one year. This allows Fields to hit the open market and sign with whoever. Ideally, he takes those steps to be a franchise passer, but this deal protects the team if not.
Why the focus on 25 million a season? Geno Smith has that average, and I feel like that is fair value for someone you plan on starting the whole year. It may seem pricy, but you get a lot of cap space flexibility in this deal, and it should keep Fields happy with the fair salary. It also doesn’t deplete a lot of your cap space, allowing for other bigger off-season moves.
I’m still not convinced that Fields is going to be the Steelers guy, but if he is the plan, a deal like this makes sense. He gets a fair amount of money, and even if he only lasts one year, he still makes over 25 million dollars. The Steelers get a full season to see what they have, and if he earns it, he is locked up for at least another year.