UNBELIEVABLE NEWS: Steelers Reporter understands that Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will not sign new contracts for a shocking reason…
On Monday, Pittsburgh Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly of The Athletic predicted that veteran quarterback Russell Wilson would not sign an extension before the season, after signing a team-friendly contract to join the Steelers in March.
“He will become a free agent next year, and the Steelers could lose out on him, but their hands are tied,” Kaboly stated. “You do not extend a 35-year-old quarterback unless he takes a snap for you. The Steelers must hope that if Wilson has a successful 2024 season, he will prioritize staying with them.
Wilson was linked to the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Giants before signing with Pittsburgh, but the Steelers also traded for 25-year-old quarterback Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears in March for a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick. Wilson is expected to begin organized team activities as Pittsburgh’s quarterback, but Fields should have an opportunity to win the starting job from training camp through the preseason.
While Pittsburgh declined the fifth-year option on Fields’ rookie contract, Kaboly believes the Steelers will try to sign the 2021 first-round draft pick to an extension that will allow them to keep his rights until the 2025 season.
“His shortcomings over his first three seasons don’t warrant a lucrative extension,” Kaboly said of Fields. “However, if the Steelers use 2024 to assess whether he is the long-term answer at the position, they will lose all leverage by allowing him to enter free agency. The smart thing to do is extend him now at a lower cost to assure that he is on the roster in 2025 without jeopardizing the salary cap.”
Kaboly suggested that the Steelers could essentially replace Fields’ fifth-year option with a one-year extension, similar to how the Green Bay Packers handled the future of Jordan Love after trading Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets this summer. Of course, the Packers understood at the time that Love would start in Week 1 of 2023, barring a tragedy. Individuals within the Steelers appear to be hoping Wilson keeps Fields as a spectator over the future season.
Logic implies Wilson would want to stay if he could restart his career with the Steelers after a rocky two-season tenure with the Denver Broncos. Fields, on the other hand, will most likely want to be compensated handsomely if he emerges as a revelation while working under Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. To be honest, Fields may end up betting on himself and entering September in a contract year.