We learned in March that there was very little chance the Steelers would pick up Justin Fields’ rookie contract’s fifth year option. Indeed, with the option date in less than a week, Pittsburgh doesn’t seem to be planning to commit Fields’ money in 2025.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com says that the Steelers are set to reject Fields’ option to accept a $25.7 million fully guaranteed salary the following season. Teams have until May 2 to exercise or reject options; for a while now, this has appeared to be one of the more predictable option calls.
The Bears ultimately had to settle for a conditional sixth-round pick for a player who has shown to be explosive as a runner but erratic as a passer over the course of three seasons, as Fields’ worth throughout the league turned out to be significantly lower than many had anticipated. Nevertheless, Fields, 25, was acquired by the Steelers with the understanding that he would start the season as Russell Wilson’s backup. Though Mike Tomlin has already forced the door open for competition, the trade acquisition currently looks set to become a backup in Pittsburgh after spending three years as a Chicago starter.
Wilson and Fields will both be entering contract years in 2024 when the option is formally denied. The former signed for the veteran minimum, which hardly made a dent in the Broncos’ record-breaking dead money total. Fields has a $1.62 million deal for this season. Fields never made it to the Pro Bowl, but he was still eligible to play as a full-time player under the option formula, so his option number fell into Tier 3 of the four tiers that were created when fully guaranteed options were introduced in the 2020 CBA.
