At Least Four Teams Inquired About Justin Fields, He Asked To Be Traded To Steelers

Ian Rapoport reports an important detail about the Bears trading QB Justin Fields to the Steelers.

Rapoport mentions that at least four other teams had inquired about trading for Fields, yet his representatives asked that he not be traded to any of those franchises.

The reason behind this was Fields had asked for a trade to Pittsburgh, and the Bears decided to do right by him and grant his request.

The trade market for Fields had been slow-moving this offseason, which resulted in a number of teams signing other quarterbacks to start while others have already gone and added backup options. 

The Bears then traded Fields to the Steelers yesterday for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick that can improve to a fourth-round pick if Fields plays 51 percent of the snaps in 2024. 

Reports had said that the Bears were hoping to get a second-round pick for Fields this offseason, but it’s clear the NFL didn’t value him at that level based on this compensation. 

The Steelers, do however, make sense for Fields, given that they currently only have Russell Wilson on a one-year deal. Fields also has a year remaining on his rookie contract and while Fields has a fifth-year option to be picked up, it’s pretty clear that the Steelers won’t go this route based on what they gave up for him.  

It was later mentioned that the Steelers are eventually planning to sign Wilson to an extension.

He signed a four-year rookie deal worth $18,871,956 with a signing bonus of $11,085,059. The Bears will have a fifth-year option to pick up on him in 2024 worth $21.978 million guaranteed for the 2025 season. 

In 2023, Fields appeared in 13 games for the Bears and completed 61.4 percent of his pass attempts for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also rushed 124 times for 657 yards and four touchdowns.

We will have more on Fields and his trade to the Steelers as it becomes available.