Steelers QB Could Cause Massive NFL Draft Change

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to weigh their options at quarterback in the early stages of the offseason, though time is of the essence.

With the legal tampering period set to begin on March 10, Justin Fields is situated favorably as he heads into free agency for the first time in his career.

His chances of returning to Pittsburgh as the full-time starter in 2025 appeared rather high mere weeks ago. Following recent reports that suggested owner Art Rooney II prefers Russell Wilson and that the team may bring neither of its incumbent signal callers back, however, Fields has suddenly become lost in the shuffle.

That's not to say the Steelers couldn't still re-sign the soon-to-be 26-year-old, but his departure becomes an increasingly realistic outcome by the day.

As explained by Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox, the Tennessee Titans are a logical landing spot for Fields once he hits the open market.

"Teams that are looking for a long-term answer at quarterback and are less than thrilled with the 2025 draft class may view Fields as a viable alternative," Knox wrote. "He'd be a sensible addition to the Titans, if Tennessee opts not to take a signal-caller with the first overall pick."

While Tennessee owns the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, a relatively weak quarterback class could persuade the team to turn its attention towards another area of need while still ending up with a proficient option under center in Fields. It also opens the door for a trade, with many other teams looking at names like Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. Allowing Tennessee to shake up the early part of the NFL Draft.

After arriving via trade from the Chicago Bears last offseason, he abruptly became the Steelers' starter for the first six weeks of the 2024 campaign while Wilson dealt with a calf injury.

Fields threw for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and an interception while tacking on 231 yards and five scores on the ground as the team went 4-2 over that stretch, but it wasn't enough to stave off Wilson upon his Week 7 return.

Despite a disastrous five-game losing streak to close out the year, Fields never replaced Wilson and instead remained perched on the sideline outside of taking an occasional snap in certain offensive packages.

While he battled through a difficult set of circumstances in 2024, Fields could quickly rebound next season. It's hard not to see the tantalizing potential he possesses as a dual-threat quarterback, and if the Steelers don't retain him, perhaps the Titans could pounce and profit handsomely.

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