The possibility of the Pittsburgh Steelers taking a quarterback in the first round is "slim to none," per Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.
The team has told people at the NFL Scouting Combine they are not impressed with this year's QB class. The current sense is the team wants to move forward with Justin Fields , according to Pauline.
"Seven people who met with the team tell me the sense is that Pittsburgh hopes to move forward with Justin Fields, who they wanted to win the starting job last season. Of course, that means they would have to sign the 2021 first-round pick to a contract, as Fields is slated for free agency, Pauline wrote .
Fields reportedly has one demand if he's going to re-sign with Pittsburgh, and that's a realistic shot to start. That wasn't the case last season when Russell Wilson was in pole position to start and eventually replaced Fields in Week 7 after he recovered from his calf injury.
"This one's complicated because I do know there's some sentiment in the building for bringing back Justin Fields," Jeremy Fowler of ESPN said on SportsCenter last week. "Both sides, Fields and the Steelers, are certainly open to a potential reunion. Fields wants a realistic shot to start. He wants a clear path to be the guy for a full season, which he was not last year."
Steelers general manager Omar Khan indicated on Tuesday that solidifying the quarterback position before preseason is their priority . On Wednesday, it was reported that the Steelers are still in discussions with Russell Wilson's representatives on a possible contract.
This comes even though, as 93.7 The Fan's Andrew Fillipponi reports, sources indicate Wilson is currently commanding a higher annual salary than Justin Fields . While Khan indicated all options are open until someone is under contract, this report may suggest there is a preference–but Pittsburgh is staying flexible.
Fields should have a robust market. The dual-threat quarterback could land with other teams, such as the New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders .
Fields started six games for the Steelers last season, going 4-2. Analysts have already linked him to the New York Jets and the Tennessee Titans this offseason.
ESPN's Seth Walder tabbed the Big Easy as Fields' next landing spot. New Orleans isn't in great cap shape. Over the Cap ranks them dead last in the league this offseason, being over $42 million in the hole. The Saints owe Derek Carr a fully guaranteed $10 million roster bonus.
"Assuming New Orleans can avoid paying that $30 million (salary) to Carr, it ought to embrace a full rebuild — which means paying players with future upside," Walder wrote . "Fields and a rookie could make sense in that context. There's still a possibility Fields can kick his level of play up a notch, and, if not, a midround rookie can get some run.
"My only hesitation is that even Fields might be too expensive for the Saints, given how rough their salary cap situation is. New Orleans must stop doling out money and focus on a clean slate for 2027, as it likely will need multiple years to clear out its cap issues."
Sin City is another possible destination for Justin Fields, NFL.com's Nick Shook believes. The combination of Gardner Minshew , Aidan O'Connell, and Desmond Ridder won't cut it for the Raiders next fall. The top passers might be gone by the time Pete Carroll and company make their draft pick at No. 6. They have more than enough money to afford Fields, though.
"Justin Fields shouldn't cost much, and something feels right about pairing the playmaker with Pete Carroll," Shook wrote . "Perhaps it's memories of Carroll's success with Russell Wilson in Seattle , or maybe it's offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's recent run of success with Will Howard at Ohio State. Either way, I feel like this might be the perfect scheme and situation for Fields to use his natural talents and try to claim a starting job in the NFL."
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