Fields vs. Russ

[Northern_Blitz]

Do you think all the QB's we pass on in one or two ( assume we do so in the 2024 draft ) will be disappointments or busts? You draft for need. Certain positions are more valuable than others. BPA's can be busts too.

-JB

You can back test this strategy if you want.

My guess is that you will find that (1) yes, it's probably expected that any QB we pass on from wherever we pick in the 20s to the end of the draft will not be average to above average starters and (2) you can also back test our track record drafting for need (e.g. Picket, Green, Najee, Edmunds, Bush, etc)...picking players you think are worse that the players that are available is a bad strategy.

[Ghost]

Huge UGA fan. Watch every game. Good Carson Beck is great. Bad Beck is horrendous. Would not draft him b/f round 3. Too inconsistent.

[hawaiiansteel]

Tim Benz: If the Steelers go with Justin Fields in 2025, actually treat him like a starter

https://triblive.com/sports/tim-benz-if-the-steelers-go-with-justin-fields-in-2025-actually-treat-him-like-a-starter/

[WindyCitySteel]

Tim Benz: If the Steelers go with Justin Fields in 2025, actually treat him like a starter

https://triblive.com/sports/tim-benz...ike-a-starter/

<hand clap emoji>

[NorthCoast]

Is this a wish or a message?

[hawaiiansteel]

Jason Mackey: Why would Justin Fields want to come back to this Steelers situation?

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
FEB 25, 2025

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/jason-mackey/2025/02/25/nfl-offseason-free-agency-nfl-draft-combine-justin-fields/stories/202502240044

[Eich]

Jason Mackey: Why would Justin Fields want to come back to this Steelers situation?

The same reason any QB would "want" to come to this Steelers situation.... No better offers elsewhere. What other reason is there? We have 1 receiving weapon (also a head case), a below average OL and run game, and a coach that plays not-to-lose. How would that be even remotely tempting for a guy like Darnold or Stafford?

[WindyCitySteel]

Jason Mackey: Why would Justin Fields want to come back to this Steelers situation?

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
FEB 25, 2025

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/202502240044

To avoid having his 4th OC in 5 years, I would guess. And if the coaches are split, how is it that Tomlin went “lone ranger” with Wilson? Maybe some players, like Cam and TJ, who lobbied for Wilson, want a more established veteran, pretty sure Smith wants Fields.

[WindyCitySteel]

Fat guy in a little coat says it’s Fields.

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/justin-fields-is-the-guy-they-want-steelers-insider-offers-important-qb-update/

[Northern_Blitz]

Fat guy in a little coat says it’s Fields.

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/ju...ant-qb-update/

I hope that Fields is at the top of the list because I think he's probably the best combination of reasonable cost, youth (can play for 3-ish years), and ability that's available.

I'm under no illusions that we'll do more than we have in the last few years with Fields at the helm.

But I think we should be rebuilding instead of selling out to maximize our chances of winning a wildcard game on the road. There just isn't a QB available that makes us more of a thread in the conference than that IMO.

[NorthCoast]

And Jarrett Bailey says it's Wilson:

Russell Wilson is likely returning to Pittsburgh
I’m told ownership prefers Wilson to Justin Fields and that the Steelers have given an offer to Wilson, it’s just a matter of if he takes it or not. And while Wilson’s production took a big dive at the end of the year while Pittsburgh lost their last five games, the peaks they saw at the beginning - specifically with the deep passing game - seem to be the sticking point. While the Steelers won four of their first six games with Fields, it certainly didn’t look like they were keen on keeping him as the starter and switched to Wilson as quickly as possible. This isn’t to say anything is a done deal - it’s certainly not. But at the time of writing, I’d expect Wilson to be the one who the Steelers bring back, despite how some in the building may feel about it.

It's what the owner wants after all. And they were just this close to going all the way with Wilson....

[NorthCoast]

• ESPN's Seth Walder recently predicted that Sam Darnold will be Pittsburgh's starter in 2025. “And though I have some healthy skepticism of how Darnold will fare without Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson, he’s arguably the best free agent quarterback available,” the analyst went on. “The Steelers land him because they have the most to offer [Darnold] — a potentially very good defense, winning history under Mike Tomlin and the lack of a top pick (making them less likely to take a first-round rookie).”
• Adam Schefter - "Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, one of them will be back. One of them I expect to be back," Schefter said before being asked which one and ultimately choosing Wilson.
• G Dulac - Wilson was brought here to help end the playoff victory drought, and it didn’t happen. Bringing in another veteran quarterback does not make sense. That’s why Fields, in all likelihood, will be given the job. He’s only 25, and he showed big development from his stay in Chicago.”"At this point, I believe Justin Fields will be re-signed," Dulac wrote. "But I don't think it'll be anything crazy."
• Albert Breer - “I’d say an outside QB, then Justin Fields, then Russell Wilson,” Breer said. “Prior to Super Bowl week, and knowing things weren’t perfect between Wilson and the team, I thought Wilson loomed as a tread-water type of option for the Steelers, if other efforts failed in 2025. But seeing the pro-Wilson narrative on ’25 pushed through? I don’t think that’s going over great inside that building.

And if you are a betting kinda guy:

Who Will Start At Quarterback For The Steelers In 2025?
Who are the favorites to become the next signal caller to play under Mike Tomlin? These are the betting odds for which quarterback will be under center for the Steelers in 2025:

Sam Darnold +300
Aaron Rodgers +450
Justin Fields +450
Russell Wilson +600
Quinn Ewers +700
Jalen Milroe +700
Kirk Cousins +850

[NorthCoast]

I think this writer forgot what 'the expectations' were for the Steelers in 2024. Neither QB 'exceeded expectations" and that is why the team is where they are today.

Steelers Predicted To Lose Wilson Across Conference Lines
Story by Anthony Licciardi • 13h • 2 min read
The Pittsburgh Steelers are running out of time to prevent one of their passers from hitting free agency. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will be unrestricted free agents in March unless Pittsburgh ponies up enough to convince them to stay.

It’s clear that the quarterback room won’t be identical in 2025; neither is incentivized to return to a pseudo-starting role as they search for a long-term deal. Both exceeded expectations in 2024, and in turn they’ll have their fair share of suitors on the open market.

Rumors have continued to swirl around Pittsburgh and which quarterback it may (or may not) want back for Week 1. Recently, the consensus has emerged that Wilson is less likely to return, partly due to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s preferences.

Subsequently, the Steelers were predicted to lose Wilson to an NFC team, pairing the quarterback with the New York Giants.

“The Giants may opt for a bridge QB even if they draft a top one, and Wilson could certainly handle the New York spotlight,” Scott Engel wrote. “It is also possible that the Giants may go the route of free agency over the draft and if they do, Wilson could be a target.”

Wilson threw for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions in the latter two-thirds of the season. He caught fire, winning six of his first seven starts, hitting his patented “moon balls” and keeping Pittsburgh in contention for an AFC North title.

The home stretch was far less friendly. In losing the final four games of the regular season and a Wild Card rout against the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers crashed down to earth, thrusting themselves into a much more complicated quarterback situation.

Wilson won’t be breaking Pittsburgh’s recent playoff win drought. But for New York, he remains a realistic target. The team needs a starting-caliber veteran given its uncertain fate at quarterback and the chance a rookie doesn’t fall to them at No. 3.

Wilson is competent enough to elevate New York’s offense well beyond how it fared in 2024 (31st in expected points added per dropback). He’ll want to start, and a multi-year deal would make him the favorite to be under center Week 1, but his relationship with Justin Fields suggests he’d be a solid mentor, too.

With Matthew Stafford off the board, the Giants don’t need to swing big for a franchise-saving veteran. They need a reliable passer who can keep the offense afloat whenever their hypothetical rookie isn’t getting playing time.

Wilson, who limited turnovers, can keep New York’s train on the tracks. With better weapons than Pittsburgh, there’s a chance he finds more success, too.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/oth...66e35d77&ei=20

[WindyCitySteel]

• ESPN's Seth Walder recently predicted that Sam Darnold will be Pittsburgh's starter in 2025. “And though I have some healthy skepticism of how Darnold will fare without Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson, he’s arguably the best free agent quarterback available,” the analyst went on. “The Steelers land him because they have the most to offer [Darnold] — a potentially very good defense, winning history under Mike Tomlin and the lack of a top pick (making them less likely to take a first-round rookie).”
• Adam Schefter - "Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, one of them will be back. One of them I expect to be back," Schefter said before being asked which one and ultimately choosing Wilson.
• G Dulac - Wilson was brought here to help end the playoff victory drought, and it didn’t happen. Bringing in another veteran quarterback does not make sense. That’s why Fields, in all likelihood, will be given the job. He’s only 25, and he showed big development from his stay in Chicago.”"At this point, I believe Justin Fields will be re-signed," Dulac wrote. "But I don't think it'll be anything crazy."
• Albert Breer - “I’d say an outside QB, then Justin Fields, then Russell Wilson,” Breer said. “Prior to Super Bowl week, and knowing things weren’t perfect between Wilson and the team, I thought Wilson loomed as a tread-water type of option for the Steelers, if other efforts failed in 2025. But seeing the pro-Wilson narrative on ’25 pushed through? I don’t think that’s going over great inside that building.

And if you are a betting kinda guy:

Who Will Start At Quarterback For The Steelers In 2025?
Who are the favorites to become the next signal caller to play under Mike Tomlin? These are the betting odds for which quarterback will be under center for the Steelers in 2025:

Sam Darnold +300
Aaron Rodgers +450
Justin Fields +450
Russell Wilson +600
Quinn Ewers +700
Jalen Milroe +700
Kirk Cousins +850

I heard some analyst say this week that if they sign Wilson they’ll take a QB in the draft in round 1 or 2 and Wilson will be his bridge. That means they’d either trade up or reach if it’s round 1. I think they should take a QB regardless but not that high in this draft, unless someone blows up at the combine/pro day and vaults up boards.

If you don’t have your franchise QB you should acquire at least one QB every year, via draft or FA. Keep buying lottery tickets until you win.

[NorthCoast]

An anonymous source:



Leave it to the sad sack Jets to screw up a negotiation...