Russell Wilson potentially will have competition after all.
A day after trading former first-round pick Kenny Pickett to the Eagles — and six days after acquiring Wilson from the Broncos — the Steelers have traded for Justin Fields.
The Bears get a 2025 sixth-round pick that upgrades to a 2025 fourth-round pick if he plays 51 percent of the offensive plays this season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
It confirms what the Bears will do with the No. 1 overall pick. It won’t be a trade. It won’t be used for a receiver. The Bears will take a quarterback, and that quarterback is expected to be USC’s Caleb Williams.
The Bears, as has been anticipated, gave up on Fields three years after taking him 11th overall.
The fact that they took the Steelers’ offer of a third-day pick says something about the rest of the league’s feelings about Fields. His stagnate market came after 40 touchdown passes, 30 interceptions, an 82.3 passer rating, a 10-28 record, 2,220 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns in three seasons.
The Steelers have turned over their quarterbacks room from Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph to Wilson and Fields. Reports indicate Fields will land in Pittsburgh as the backup.
Fields is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Steelers will have to decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option. That would guarantee him $25 million for 2025.
The Steelers have gotten a steal: Wilson signed a one-year deal for the $1.21 million veteran minimum, and Fields is due $3.233 million for this season.