A Continuous Journey: 2024 NFL Offseason Thread

Do you mean the aspect of ditching Pickett for Russ and Fields? Because if you mean just the trade for Fields itself, I don't know why anyone would have an issue with that considering they gave up next to nothing for him.

 

Sure, but it seemed as if people were acting as if Fields' career was "over" due to the lack of demand for his services. Now it is scene as a sneaky Great Deal. He's the same QB he was a week ago.

 

Well I look forward to the warm and fuzzy stories about how the seasoned savvy veteran Russell Wilson is "mentoring" Fields.

 

The Steelers made a great move because nearly anyone else who might have pursued Fields would have done so to be their starter. The Steelers got a backup QB on the cheap and if he turns into nothing more than that, they've risked nothing. I don't see a downside for them. If Russell plays well, Fields will never get a snap, and they won't need him beyond this year anyway. A lot of stating the obvious here, but, yeah.

 

A single contract for the minimum is not and never will be win now.

 

No, it will not be win later. Russell Wilson will make $40 million+ next year. And the year after. The Steelers, or any other team, would be stupid to pay him a dime more. If he's working out, they can fix that, and they will. But there's absolutely no reason to do it now. You don't seem to understand NFL economics at all.

 

I think it's more about the belief that the Steelers can make Fields work, whereas the Bears completely failed him and most other organizations didn't see how they could implement FIelds into what they were doing.

 

I get the Bears component of that. We have seen them have trouble developing quarterbacks forever.

I just don't know why anyone would think the Steelers can fix Fields. Tomlin has never successfully developed a quarterback. He took over the team with Roethlisberger already in place. He failed with Rudolph. He failed miserably with Pickett. Maybe he would have never worked anywhere, but the Steelers did him no favors. They put him behind a shaky offensive line with an incompetent offensive coordinator and a risk-averse head coach. Then they gave him no first-team work when he was backing up Trubisky to start his rookie year, and when they did throw him in there, they had him throw the ball over 50 times in his first start.

 

Rudolph and Trubisky are what they are. They are perfectly mid-to-low end backup quarterbacks in the NFL. Failed with Rudolph? That's hilarious. What the hell are you supposed to do with him? Can he punt? Placekick holding?

Pickett. I mean I think Steeler fans overrated the shit out of him like they do everyone else. He played a lot of college football and was barely mediocre until his fifth year when he blew up the ACC. Not super athletic, small hands, not a particularly great arm and probably drafted 50 spots too high. As a game manager, he turned the ball over too much. I agree with the poster who said they won more games in spite of him than because of him. Sure that's Tomlin's fault.

You bring in backup quarterbacks, get backup quarterback results.

 

It seems like a perfect situation for both Fields and the team. He is at worst a high end backup who they get for cheap. He has the chance to reset his career and potentially make a lot of cash next season if he performs well. He also has a relatively weak starter in front of him.

 

His fate was the biggest story of the offseason, so it was going to be a big story regardless. He's also a well-liked kid with crazy athletic ability in the highlight-reel era. People love talking about him.

 

It also seems like Fields and Wilson have similar skill sets as scrambling QBs. Fields is more of a runner and Wilson a scrambler who occasionally runs, but the point is they shouldn't have to overhaul their offense if they have to make a change. A lot of times it feels like teams have to go to a run-heavy game plan when the backup QB comes in because he's a complete game manager/pocket passer type. With Wilson and Fields they should theoretically be able to do the same things.