Scarlet Sunrise: Justin Fields gets fresh start with trade to Pittsburgh Steelers

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Justin Fields gets fresh start with trade to Pittsburgh Steelers

Justin Fields finally has a new home. The Chicago Bears traded the former Ohio State star quarterback to the Pittsburgh Steelers but only got a 2025 conditional sixth-round pick in return.

The Bears are expected to take former USC quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. So they’ve been shopping Fields this offseason. Instead of getting a Day 2 selection like they originally wanted, they ended up with a conditional pick that, at best, could turn into a fourth rounder in next year’s draft.

Chicago wanted to do right by Fields, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, who reported that the organization could have gotten more with a different deal. Sending Fields to Pittsburgh, however, gives him the best chance to earn a starting role again in the near future. Even though the Steelers are committed to Russell Wilson this season, Wilson is on a one-year deal and is 35 years old.

From @SportsCenter: The Bears were waiting for the right team, time to move Justin Fields. Though they’d hoped for a better market and return, here’s why sending Fields to Pittsburgh now vs. dragging this out to the draft in hopes of finding a partner was the direction Chicago… pic.twitter.com/X8706yREsx

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) March 17, 2024

Pittsburgh signed Wilson in free agency after the Denver Broncos released him two years into his five-year, $242.6 million contract. The Steelers also traded away Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles just two years after they drafted Pickett in the first round. Plus, longtime Pittsburgh backup Mason Rudolph signed with the Tennessee Titans.

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler, and Fields, one of the league’s most dynamic dual threats, headline a new-look Steelers quarterback room.

Fields, 25, is coming off the best statistical passing season of his young NFL career. He threw for 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns, in addition to recording a career-best 61.4% completion percentage in 13 starts. The season before that, Fields eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground, joining Michael Vick (2006) and Lamar Jackson (2019, 2020) as the only quarterbacks to do so in league history.

Tracking former Buckeyes in NFL free agency

Looking to see what’s happened to other Buckeyes alums in the NFL this offseason? Lettermen Row has you covered with a free agency tracker.

Stay up to date with where former Ohio State players are signing across the league.

All you have to do is go here.

Ohio State reportedly narrowing in on Jake Diebler promotion

Ohio State men’s basketball appears to have found its next head coach, and it turns out he was right in front of the Buckeyes all along.

As first reported by Jeff Goodman of the The Field of 68, Jake Diebler is expected to ditch his interim tag and earn a promotion to full-time head coach.

Diebler has led the Buckeyes to a 6-2 record since taking over for seventh-year Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann, who was fired on Feb. 14 with four years left on his deal and six games remaining in the regular season.

For more details, head on over here.

RELATED

• ‘I feel like he did an amazing job’: Buckeyes players praise Jake Diebler for his leadership in interim role

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 167 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 258 days

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