Despite Mason Rudolph leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs this year after the season had previously felt like a waste, the organization still has questions for the future at quarterback.
The day after the Super Bowl, the Steelers cut third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph after his terrible stint with the team, along with punter Presley Harvin III and Chukwuma Okorafor.
Freeing up cap space had fans thinking the team would make a move at a veteran quarterback like Ryan Tannehill or Kirk Cousins. But a new name has entered the mix in the past couple of days.
The Chicago Bears have the number one pick in this year’s NFL draft, with a clear superstar in Caleb Williams at the top of the draft. They have a quarterback they already believe in but they cannot ignore that Williams will be a future MVP of the league.
This leaves Justin Fields, who is heading into his fourth season in the NFL, in a situation no quarterback could love. The Bears have no reason to keep him and his value will be as high as it will get, considering age and performance last season.
The Bears should capitalize on the opportunity and build more draft picks, and the Steelers seem willing to offer the best haul. Fields will also be entering a contract year and with the Bears likely not wanting to pay him, it gives Chicago all the more reason to dump him now.
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has been poor in his first few years. So having someone to compete with in training camp will help him develop as a player and a leader accepting his role to help the team win.
Just a few weeks ago before the season ended, the Atlanta Falcons were front-runners to land Fields because their then head coach, Arthur Smith, wanted a mobile quarterback. After Smith was fired by Atlanta and hired as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, the Fields rumors followed Smith to the Steelers, who now appear to be the favorite to sign him.
