If the Chicago Bears decide to move Justin Fields before the NFL draft, they will have no shortage of possible trade partners.
Fields might land with a rebuilding team or one that is in the playoffs. The Pittsburgh Steelers are one such team, having used three different quarterbacks during the regular season.
“Mike Tomlin has stood by embattled 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett through two ugly, injury-plagued seasons,” CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin wrote on December 22. “However, the Steelers’ late-season struggles and frequent offensive shortcomings may finally prompt a more daring dart-throw.” If they pick outside the top 10, they might easily see Fields as higher-upside competition for Pickett, with the opportunity to develop the offensive staff around his talents.”
Steelers grabbing at straws for future quarterback
The Steelers are in such bad shape at quarterback that they will start Mason Rudolph in their first playoff game against the Buffalo Bills on the road. The game was originally set for Sunday on Super Wild Card Weekend, but the governor of New York moved it to Monday due to poor weather.
Rudolph began the season as the team’s third-string quarterback, but he has performed admirably for Pittsburgh during a three-game winning streak that has earned the Steelers the No. 7 seed in the AFC. According to Pro Football Reference, he completed 74.3% of his throws for 719 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Rudolph took up Mitch Trubisky’s duties when Pickett failed. Pickett, who had ankle surgery, told CBS Sports that he was ready to play in a must-win game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17, but the organization chose Rudolph instead.
Several, if not all, signs indicate that Pittsburgh is done with Pickett. Trubisky is clearly not the answer, and Rudolph is 8-4-1 as an NFL starter, has a $1.1 million contract for 2023, and will be a free agent in March.
Justin Fields, the Bears’ first-round pick, can usher in a new era in Pittsburgh.
If the draft began before the playoffs, the Steelers would choose the 23rd overall pick. According to Tankathon, no matter how the opening weekend of the postseason plays out, Pittsburgh will not choose higher than 19th this April. As a result, the 2018 draft does not look to be a probable path for Pittsburgh to discover a QB — at least not a first-round player who will be thrown into the fire in his rookie season.
Fields, on the other hand, has shown to be a quality starter over the last three seasons and is the type of guy the Steelers could get for a choice in the No. 20 overall range.
The team’s decision to remove offensive coordinator Matt Canada mid-season, as well as Tomlin’s future with the franchise, added to the uncertainty in Pittsburgh.
“Could another big-name head coach be on the move?” On NBC’s playoff broadcast Saturday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk said. “Mike Tomlin will make a decision about his future after the season.”
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