After multiple trade rumors and an apparent cooling of the market, former Ohio State quarterback, Justin Fields, has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fields never really had things click for him in Chicago after being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. He showed flashed of brilliance, especially with his ability to make plays on the ground, but whether it was the weapons around him, or his inability to develop further, the passing prowess never got to where it needed to be as an NFL quarterback.
With the Bears holding the No. 1 overall pick, and after the organization decided to try and build around him for one more season, it just never clicked. As such, the organization appears to be moving in the direction of selecting a quarterback in the first round in the upcoming draft.
For Fields, it’s not a great landing spot — at least not initially. The Steelers already have Russell Wilson as the presumed starter, so the former Big Ten Player of the Year will be used in a backup role. With the age of both signal-callers, maybe there’s a chance soon down the road, but there’s no doubt it’s a step back for a player with the tools and athleticism Fields possesses.
In return for Fields, the Bears will get a 2025 sixth-round draft pick that could turn into a fourth round pick if he plays 51% or more of the snaps for Pittsburgh next season — according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗙𝟭 📈
@justnfields x @steelers pic.twitter.com/z64SY6MwG6— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 17, 2024
If there’s a silver lining here, the Steelers have been as good as anyone at personnel moves and Fields probably has a better chance at developing in Pittsburgh. We’ll just have to see how it all shakes out.
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