Steelers Predicted to Clean House at QB & Sign Former First-Round Talent

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan reiterated Tuesday, February 25, that the team’s preference is to re-sign either Justin Fields or Russell Wilson as the starting quarterback before free agency.

Having said that, he also noted that until a signing occurs, “all options are on the table” at the position. “All” would almost certainly have to include the top free agent quarterback that is likely to hit the market, Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowler Sam Darnold.

On February 26, ESPN analytics expert Seth Walder predicted that Darnold would be the Steelers’ starting quarterback when the 2025 campaign begins in Week 1.

“Keeping Fields is a possibility,” Walder acknowledged, questioning: “But if the Steelers really liked him, why did they continue to play Russell Wilson over him?”

“And though I have some healthy skepticism of how Darnold will fare without Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson, he’s arguably the best free agent quarterback available,” the analyst went on. “The Steelers land him because they have the most to offer [Darnold] — a potentially very good defense, winning history under Mike Tomlin and the lack of a top pick (making them less likely to take a first-round rookie).”

A Potential Steelers Pursuit of Sam Darnold Is Likely Contingent on Justin Fields

Darnold to Pittsburgh hasn’t gotten a ton of hype, despite the Steelers’ obvious QB need. So, it is interesting to see Walder predict that outcome at this stage of the offseason.

Some believe Darnold could be a little out of Pittsburgh’s price range at an estimated $35-$40 million per year, but it’s possible the rising cap number has readjusted the Steelers’ line of thinking on that matter.

It all depends on Fields — who Steelers beat reporter Mark Kaboly called the “number one priority” while speaking with 93.7 The Fan’s “The Pomp And Joe Show” on February 26.

“I think they’re waiting to see what kind of answer they get from [Fields],” Kaboly told the show. “And while they wait for him, they got to pretend. And I say pretend like they are interested in everybody just in case Fields does not want to come here or gets a better offer somewhere else.”

“I think it’s always been [Fields],” the veteran Steelers insider continued. “I think he’s our number one priority. But you can’t put all your eggs in [one] basket.”

Fields has been linked to several teams since the end of the season. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported mutual interest between the QB and the New York Jets — who are moving on from Aaron Rodgers.

Some have speculated that the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams could also be fits for Fields, depending on how their respective quarterback situations shake out.

Based on that supposed intrigue, there’s a world where the Steelers low-ball Fields, and he responds by deciding to test his market. At that point, Pittsburgh could lose the former first-round talent and be stuck looking into alternatives.

Are the Steelers Really Out on Russell Wilson?

If the Fields route falls through, an easy connecting of the dots would bring Wilson back to Pittsburgh, right? Kaboly agreed with that assessment on 93.7 The Fan, but CBS Sports reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala practically guaranteed Wilson wouldn’t be back during her own spot on 93.7 The Fan.

Speaking with Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on February 26, Kinkhabwala said this about Wilson:

“From all of the reporting that I have and all of the conversations that I’ve had with people in the building, everything I have been told is that [Wilson] is not going to re-sign with the Steelers.”

Kinkhabwala isn’t the first to report Pittsburgh is done with Wilson, and this all matters when it comes to the Darnold conversation because in the scenario where the Steelers miss on Fields, Darnold could then become the next target in line.