Steelers could have secret plan to play Justin Fields and Russell Wilson

The Pittsburgh Steelers have historically used free agency as a way to quietly supplement their roster with unheralded contributors, but general manager Omar Khan has changed that philosophy during his first two years with the team.

The Steelers kicked off the 2024 free agency period by retooling their quarterback room with a series of low-risk moves. They began by securing the starting position with the blockbuster signing of nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson. Then, they traded away Kenny Pickett, a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, after his dismal sophomore campaign. Khan saved the most intriguing move for last: they acquired quarterback Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears in exchange for pennies.

The Steelers plan to develop Fields as the backup quarterback behind Wilson, but Fields may still be able to carve out a role in 2024.

How the Steelers could utilize Justin Fields in red zone packages

Denny Carter of NBC Sports believes that the Steelers could use Fields in red zone packages.

"It's a long shot he'll unseat Russell Wilson as Pittsburgh's starter ... [but] he will be utilized, one way or another," Carter said.

Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith utilized mobile quarterbacks during his time with the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans. As the Titans coordinator, Smith utilized dual-threat quarterback Marcus Mariota in specialty offensive packages near the end zone while Ryan Tannehill was the starter. Fields is underdeveloped as a passer, but he has been brilliant as a runner. In 2023, he accounted for nearly 30 percent of Chicago's rushing attempts inside the five-yard line, fourth highest among quarterbacks.

Still, before the Steelers can think about incorporating exotic personnel groupings and misdirection plays, they'll have to establish an offensive attack that's capable of scoring. In 2023, the Steelers scored the fifth-fewest points per game (17.9) and had the eighth-fewest passing yards per game (186.1). In the excitement of an upgraded quarterback room, it's easy to forget just how much Wilson and Fields have struggled.

Both Wilson and Fields have trouble with processing the defense and holding onto the ball too long. Since the start of the 2022 NFL season, Wilson has been sacked 100 times and Fields has been sacked 99 times. No other quarterback has been sacked more than 80 times during that span, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Fields' inability to process the field led to him holding onto the ball for an average of 3.18 seconds after the snap, which is the longest time to throw over the past three years, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

While Tomlin's affinity for Fields and Arthur Smith's affinity for the running game suggest a future with Fields, it's wise to allow the young quarterback to develop as a passer. Risking his health on goal-line rushing packages in 2024 is unnecessary, especially if the team sees Fields as their future quarterback. That wasn't the case with Mariota in Tennessee — he was no longer being developed to become the starter, so there was no reason to protect his health. Regardless, the running back duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren should be enough to punch the ball in.

While Tomlin clearly prioritized upgrading the quarterback position, Pittsburgh is still built to rely on its defense, which helped the team sneak into the postseason with a 10-7 record in 2023. With a veteran quarterback to manage the offense, perhaps Pittsburgh can pick up their first postseason win since 2017.

"I want us to be versatile and dynamic," head coach Mike Tomlin said at his season-ending press conference. "Obviously, we've got to score more points. I want to be able to keep defenses off balance. I want to utilize all the talent that we have at our disposal."

Fields is entering the final year of his rookie contract but Pittsburgh has until May 2 to exercise the fifth-year option attached to his deal. Although Fields has a low cap hit of $6 million for the 2024 NFL season, the fully guaranteed fifth-year option is projected to be worth roughly $22 million. Fields' projected market value is a six-year contract worth up to $283.1 million, per Spotrac.