During the NFL offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired quarterback Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears. Considering that they had previously signed Russell Wilson early in the free agency process, it was a somewhat surprising move. Additionally, Kenny Pickett was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles outside of the city. Regarding Fields, there are rumors that the Steelers see him as their quarterback of the future. It’s a smart move to allow him to learn from Wilson.
There are currently disagreements over whether Fields should sign a contract extension with the Steelers right away. They could tie him to a very team-friendly contract while they develop him if they did that. Speaking out on the matter, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic expressed his opinion that the Steelers cannot afford to hold off on giving Fields an extension. He outlined the team’s reasoning for extending him at this time.
“By letting him become a free agent, the Steelers would forfeit all of their negotiating power if they wait until 2024 to decide if he is the long-term solution at the position. It makes sense to extend him now at a lower cost in order to guarantee his spot on the roster in 2025 without putting the salary limit in jeopardy. Even though it was prior to the fifth-year option deadline, the Packers achieved it with Jordan Love.
