Fields, not Wilson, is greatest source of intrigue from Steelers QB reports

When Fox’s Jay Glazer threw a log on the fire of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason quarterback conversation last week, I got the impression a lot of us were talking about the wrong part of what he said.

What Glazer mentioned (on the “Fantasy Football Happy Hour”) about the unlikelihood of Russell Wilson returning to Pittsburgh or going to Las Vegas in 2025 is what got most people’s attention.

“That ain’t gonna happen,” Glazer said about Wilson heading to Las Vegas. “That one is over. I don’t think (a return to Pittsburgh) is going to happen, either. I think you’ll see a new start for Russell somewhere.”

Noteworthy, for sure. However, what Glazer said next when he was asked about who will be the starter in Pittsburgh next year is what raised my eyebrows.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I … I don’t know,” Glazer admitted. “I was texting with Mike Tomlin the other day. He’s at the Senior Bowl. They can compartmentalize only so much. Then, all of a sudden, next week, they have Combine meetings. So they’ve got to start talking about free agency and what’s out there. But I don’t think they know who their starting quarterback is going to be yet.”

Well, if Glazer was texting with Tomlin and had no issue sharing that he felt retaining Wilson was a long shot, then I imagine he certainly would’ve been forthcoming with any hint he had that they may have had talks that were progressing with keeping Justin Fields.

The leading opinion in Pittsburgh seems to be that (like it or not) starting 2025 with Fields is the most probable end to the Steelers’ offseason quarterback quandary. But Glazer appeared to have no information to validate that belief.

That’s interesting to me because I would think that getting a deal done with Fields would be fairly easy to do if the Steelers were truly dedicated to making him their starter.

Maybe Fields doesn’t want that, though. Maybe he wants to see if there is something better out there. Better in terms of money. Better in terms of stability. In terms of a supporting cast. Or coaching. Or a chance to win.

In advance of the Super Bowl, ESPN’s Adam Schefter gave some credibility to that prospect.

“They’ve spoken to Russell. They’ll be talking to Justin Fields, but there will be a market for Justin Fields, a number of teams interested in him, and we’ll see whether or not that includes Pittsburgh in his future,” Schefter said.

Where Schefter’s report differed from Glazer’s is that he seemed to think that a Wilson reunion was possible in Pittsburgh.

“Returning is a possibility, despite the fact that many have speculated that it’s not likely,” Schefter said. “There have been ongoing conversations between Russell Wilson and the organization about what to do in the future. That doesn’t mean it won’t work out, clearly. He’s scheduled to become a free agent, but returning to Pittsburgh remains a possibility for Russell Wilson, as it does for Justin Fields.”

What would it say if the Steelers want Fields to be their starter, but he would prefer to go elsewhere when there is a clear-cut chance for him to be a full-time No. 1 here on a team that went to the playoffs last year?

What would it say if Fields decides to go to the perpetually rebuilding Raiders instead? Or either of the frequently failing teams in New York? Or another last-place destination like Cleveland, Tennessee or New Orleans (if they move on from Derek Carr).

Let me answer my own question. It would probably mean that he doesn’t trust the process in Pittsburgh. That he doesn’t trust the offensive game planning or the weapons he has. It probably means he doesn’t trust the Steelers to give him autonomy to change plays at the line of scrimmage or to stick with him as the starter, even if he has a bad game or two.

Based on recent history in all those areas, why would he?

Or it could mean that the Steelers get outbid for his services. That wouldn’t be surprising either, seeing as how the Steelers have tried to replace Ben Roethlisberger with a third-round draft choice in Mason Rudolph, a cheap free agent in Mitch Trubisky ($14.28 million in cash over two years), a firstround pick in Kenny Pickett who was traded before ever counting more than $3.2 million against the cap, and the Fields-Wilson combination who only cost them $4.4 million total against their cap last year.

If the Steelers can find a low-cost option at quarterback, they’ll do it. If they aren’t entirely sold on Fields, don’t be stunned if they allow themselves to be outspent by another club who wants to land him.

And don’t be stunned if Wilson is back.

How underwhelming would that be? Everybody was really excited about him in Pittsburgh when the team was 10-3. Some skeptics, though, were wondering at the time: “What if this is as good as it gets?”

The ensuing five-game losing streak provided that answer with a resounding “It is.”

With Fields, there is at least the idea that you can sell hope. He’s only 25. What if he improves? He won four of his six starts early in 2024. Perhaps with increased responsibility, Fields will provide improved results.

Perhaps.

With Wilson, I think we all know what we are going to get. He’ll be good enough to help the Steelers beat lesser teams most of the time but not good enough to beat good teams when all the chips are on the table.

In other words, for the Steelers, it would be maintaining the status quo — which has been their mode of operation for the past eight years.

So maybe keeping Wilson makes more sense than we’ve been willing to acknowledge.

Sense to them, anyway.