A young quarterback, once dubbed the future of a franchise, now finds himself at the center of a high-stakes game of musical chairs. The NFL offseason isn’t just a time for trades and drafts—it’s Survivor: Quarterback Edition. Justin Fields, the human highlight reel with legs like Usain Bolt and an arm that’s equal parts promise and puzzle, is the latest contestant. And several teams are scrambling for a rose. Cue the dramatic Bachelor music.

According to a February 16 report from MLFootball, Fields is projected to land a fully guaranteed 1-year, $9 million deal in free agency. The Steelers, Ravens, Colts, and Jets are circling like hawks. Pittsburgh, however, holds the inside track. Fields went 4-2 as a starter in 2024, completing a career-high 65.8% of his passes with 10 total touchdowns and just one interception. But what’s on Fields’s mind?

“I want to be here,” Fields told the Tribune-Review late 2024 season. “I’m kind of tired of learning a new offense every year. This will be my third in four years. Of course, I’d love to be back, but that’s all up to God at the end of the day.” But money talks louder than loyalty.

Spotrac pegs Fields’s market value at $6.4 million annually—a number his camp likely scoffs at. For context, Sam Darnold earned $10 million in 2024 after resurrecting his career in Minnesota. Geno Smith? $25 million. The Steelers must thread the needle: pay Fields enough to keep him, but not so much they can’t afford a receiver not named George Pickens. Meanwhile, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has praised Fields’s growth.

Tomlin called his 2024 performance ‘a legitimate thought or idea’ for 2025. But there’s a catch. Tomlin also has a soft spot for Russell Wilson, who went 6-6 as Pittsburgh’s starter. “I thought he [Fields] an urgency in his day-to-day work regardless of his role,” Tomlin said. Meanwhile, Wilson, 36, is eyeing suitors like the Raiders and Giants.

Ben Roethlisberger summed it all up on his Footbahlin podcast: “It seems like every day we are getting a positive story about Russell Wilson… The next day it is a negative story about Russell Wilson… then it is a positive about Justin and then a negative about Justin. What in the world is going on?” Truly, what’s actually going on with this bidding war?

Top Comment by Sigsby Cheatham

Give him a chance to prove himself

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The bidding war looms for Fields

The Steelers’ salary cap space ($53.26 million) could solve this QB Hunger Games. But owner Art Rooney II insists they’ll only resign one passer. Fields’s youth and mobility give him an edge. Wilson’s $38.7 million market value?

That’s Avengers: Endgame money for a QB who hasn’t cracked a playoff win since 2020. If Fields hits free agency on March 12, the Jets, Colts, Raiders, and even the Titans could spark a bidding war. Hence, Pittsburgh’s offer must dazzle.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes Fields wants a ‘realistic shot to start’—something he didn’t get last year after Wilson’s return. “Both sides, Fields and the Steelers, are certainly open to a potential reunion,” Fowler said. But Fields’s camp knows his 2022 Madden-esque season (1,143 rushing yards) still tantalizes GMs. The Steelers’ playbook?

A bridge deal: 2 years, $40 million with incentives. Think Baker Mayfield’s 2024 resurgence in Tampa. For Fields, it’s a chance to prove he’s more than a rental—a QB who can turn reasonable contracts into 100 million paydays.

Justin Fields’s saga is peak NFL drama—a mix of raw talent, front-office poker, and fanbase anxiety. Will Pittsburgh pay up? Can the young QB silence his critics? Or will a dark-horse team swoop in? As the March 12 deadline looms. For Fields, the next chapter is about rewriting the script. “Al Pacino voice: Leave the money. Take the cannoli.” (The Godfather, 1972).