NFL insider: Justin Fields 'likely' to test free agency, still open to deal with Pittsburgh Steelers

As the NFL gets ready for free agency to begin next week, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a major question mark at quarterback. Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are set to become free agents, and rumors swirl about whether Fields could be the guy for the franchise next season.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said that’s likely where the Steelers are leaning with the tampering window set to open Monday at Noon ET. However, he said it’s possible Fields tests the free agent market – and he could have suitors.

Fields started six games for Pittsburgh last season before Wilson returned from injury and appeared to play well during that time. But with the negotiating period starting Monday afternoon, Fowler reported Fields is “likely” to test the open market.

“From what I’ve been told, they’ve been leaning Justin Fields in that Fields-Wilson equation,” Fowler said Friday on NFL Live. “Both sides are open to a potential deal. They have had discussions. But my sense after making calls today is that Fields will likely test free agency this Monday, at least go into Monday. He’s close enough to it.

“He will have some interest. The New York Jets, I expect to potentially have some interest. Could be some others. The fact that Matthew Stafford stayed in L.A. keeps a musical chair seat available for him. We’ll see how it shakes out.”

After coming over in a trade with the Chicago Bears last year, Fields totaled 1,106 passing yards and five touchdowns. He also added 289 rushing yards and five touchdowns while appearing in package plays at times.

Fowler said he still believes either Fields or Wilson will be under center for Pittsburgh in 2025, but said another wrinkle could be in play as well. He wondered if Sam Darnold or Aaron Rodgers could be on the Steelers’ radar.

“I still think it could be Fields or Wilson, maybe with a Darnold or Aaron Rodgers in the sort of back pocket. They still have to sort of gauge four or five options just in case their top ones fall through.”

Mina Kimes: Steelers should ‘unleash’ Justin Fields if he returns

During his time in Chicago, Justin Fields showed his ability to make big-time plays with his legs in addition to flashes of arm strength. But that wasn’t always the case in Year 1 with the Steelers, and Mina Kimes said she’d like that to change if Fields comes back in 2025.

“I don’t hate the idea of running it back with Fields, who I thought played fine for them last year,” Kimes said. “He did some things that I thought you can really build on. Took fewer sacks – had the lowest sack rate of his career – was generally better at playing on time within structure.

“But I will say, if they do bring him back, I’d actually like to see him unleashed a little bit more. I was sometimes frustrated watching – I felt like he didn’t take enough chances downfield or wasn’t quite the explosive playmaker we saw in Chicago. So if they brought him back, maybe without Russell Wilson looking over his shoulder, he could be a little bit more free and play more free. I think you’d get more higher upside out of him in Pittsburgh this season.”