Justin Fields to the Steelers for a 6th round pick?

[GhostOfPoverty]

Joe Webb.

Better draft pick than Christian Ponder.

Correct on both counts lmao

 

[broncosmitty]

Correct on both counts lmao

Dude hung around the league a real long time for a sixth round pick.

 

[Nelly]

Can we agree that both the Broncos and the Bears had some holes on offense and weren't all that great around either guy?

If so, not only does Russ have a hell of a lot more experience than Justin does, he put up a 98.0 passer rating last year with 3,000 yards and better than a 3:1 TD:INT ratio. Fields had 2500 yards passing on worse than 2:1 TD:INT ratio en route to an 86.3 passer rating, which was only 1 point better than in year 2 when he had a very terrible offense around him and no D.J. Moore.

Not only that but Justin's explosive running ability to a dip from last year. Yards per carry when down from 7.1 to 5.3, which was a career low. Defenses figured out that you can just sit in zone against him and keep him contained in the pocket, cause he won't step up in it and won't throw guys open on any regular basis. Then playing zone means the defense can react if he tucks and runs opposed to DBs with their heads turned playing man.

I've compared Justin to Jay Cutler all year as far as having all the physical tools but not being able to translate them to high-level QB play on the field. Both guys need(ed) to see a guy open before they throw it, which in the NFL, is too late, even with their cannon arms.

All that said, I hope he figures it out and has a great career because he's a class act and a hard worker.

 

[DJ]

Dude hung around the league a real long time for a sixth round pick.

Yep.

Played 10 seasons. Last one was in 2020 with the Giants.

 

[shopson67]

The Vikings tried that QB/WR/kick returner thing with some guy they drafted to try to replace Brett Favre back in the day.

It didn't work out at all, can't even remember the guy's name, but he was insanely athletic. But yeah, these guys who go from QB to other positions don't usually seem to benefit all that much from it.

It's the same talk that was around when Lamar was coming into the league. Lets pause and see what Fields can do if he has the same OC for at least 2 years in a row. Let's start with that.

 

[GhostOfPoverty]

It's the same talk that was around when Lamar was coming into the league. Lets pause and see what Fields can do if he has the same OC for at least 2 years in a row. Let's start with that.

I don't think Fields has ever been on Jackson's level, even rookie Jackson, but I get what you mean

 

[belcherboy]

It's the same talk that was around when Lamar was coming into the league. Lets pause and see what Fields can do if he has the same OC for at least 2 years in a row. Let's start with that.

But are we really going to be able to "see what Fields can do" while in Pittsburgh? He really doesn't have a 2 year window. He probably has a 6 month window, from right now, to prove himself.

 

[DJ]

It's the same talk that was around when Lamar was coming into the league. Lets pause and see what Fields can do if he has the same OC for at least 2 years in a row. Let's start with that.

Exactly.

 

[shopson67]

But are we really going to be able to "see what Fields can do" while in Pittsburgh? He really doesn't have a 2 year window. He probably has a 6 month window, from right now, to prove himself.

Not really. They have to make a call on that 5th year option by May 2nd. He could already be locked in before camps even get rolling. I really think this opportunity to get Fields cheap makes Wilson an easy trade chip once somebody loses a QB to injury. I don't think the Steelers see Wilson as a multi-year answer at QB.

 

[belcherboy]

Not really. They have to make a call on that 5th year option by May 2nd. He could already be locked in before camps even get rolling. I really think this opportunity to get Fields cheap makes Wilson an easy trade chip once somebody loses a QB to injury. I don't think the Steelers see Wilson as a multi-year answer at QB.

It's a $25 million option, if I recall correctly. Do you think they go ahead and pay him $25 million knowing that RW could still be the better option in 2025? I'm assuming they could still franchise him if they didn't pick up this option for 2025.

 

[shopson67]

It's a $25 million option, if I recall correctly. Do you think they go ahead and pay him $25 million knowing that RW could still be the better option in 2025? I'm assuming they could still franchise him if they didn't pick up this option for 2025.

They could, but that would be for more than $43M (this season's QB franchise tag).

 

[belcherboy]

They could, but that would be for more than $43M (this season's QB franchise tag).

Yeah, then I don't see either being an option. I can't imagine a GM would pick up a $25 million option on a Fields right now without seeing some good success against NFL teams in regular season games.

That's why I don't think you can press pause and see what Fields does with the same OC the next two years. Outside of him just drastically blowing people away this summer, and winning the starting job over RW, I just don't see a path forward for him. Especially knowing they have until May to pick up his 5th year option.

He has about 6 months to prove himself. I think he'll be traded to a desperate team who loses their QB early in the season.

 

[shopson67]

Yeah, then I don't see either being an option. I can't imagine a GM would pick up a $25 million option on a Fields right now without seeing some good success against NFL teams in regular season games.

That's why I don't think you can press pause and see what Fields does with the same OC the next two years. Outside of him just drastically blowing people away this summer, and winning the starting job over RW, I just don't see a path forward for him. Especially knowing they have until May to pick up his 5th year option.

He has about 6 months to prove himself. I think he'll be traded to a desperate team who loses their QB early in the season.

I'm just saying it's not exactly a fair evaluation of his career if you don't take into account the inconsistent support he's had from the coaching staff.

 

[belcherboy]

I'm just saying it's not exactly a fair evaluation of his career if you don't take into account the inconsistent support he's had from the coaching staff.

I don't know if I agree with that. I mean, how many of the top picks have to go through the same thing in coaching. Just in the past few years...Lawrence, Stroud, Tua, Murray...those are just the guys off the top of my head that have gone through multiple coaches.

I think Justin Fields has started around 40 NFL games in his career, so I think he's had a fair evaluation. Cream always rises to the top and Justin just hasn't been able to make his case consistently enough. I mean, every team that needed a QB had a shot at him the past 6 weeks and none wanted him as their starting QB. I think that speaks volumes of what they evaluated on him.

I do hope he succeeds, as he seems like a great guy, but to say he hasn't gotten a "fair evaluation" in the NFL doesn't seem true to me.

 

[shopson67]

I don't know if I agree with that. I mean, how many of the top picks have to go through the same thing in coaching. Just in the past few years...Lawrence, Stroud, Tua, Murray...those are just the guys off the top of my head that have gone through multiple coaches.

I think Justin Fields has started around 40 NFL games in his career, so I think he's had a fair evaluation. Cream always rises to the top and Justin just hasn't been able to make his case consistently enough. I mean, every team that needed a QB had a shot at him the past 6 weeks and none wanted him as their starting QB. I think that speaks volumes of what they evaluated on him.

I do hope he succeeds, as he seems like a great guy, but to say he hasn't gotten a "fair evaluation" in the NFL doesn't seem true to me.

Lawrence had 2 OCs, stable since 2022 season.

Stroud? He's a rookie, one OC.

Tua had 3 OCs, stable since 2022.

Murray's had 2 OCs (if you want to count Kingsbury as his OC, otherwise there was no OC until last year).

Teams didn't want Fields for the same reason the Bears moved on from him; that looming financial decision. He will be on his 4th OC this season in 4 seasons, not exactly setting him up for success (and didn't have a true #1 WR until last season).

 

[belcherboy]

Lawrence had 2 OCs, stable since 2022 season.

Stroud? He's a rookie, one OC.

Tua had 3 OCs, stable since 2022.

Murray's had 2 OCs (if you want to count Kingsbury as his OC, otherwise there was no OC until last year).

Teams didn't want Fields for the same reason the Bears moved on from him; that looming financial decision. He will be on his 4th OC this season in 4 seasons, not exactly setting him up for success (and didn't have a true #1 WR until last season).

The point is that Fields situation isn’t that different from many of first round QB’s throughout the years. There is a reason Fields has had 4 OC’s…if he actually lived up to the hype, then those coaches would still have a job as his OC and Fields would still be a starter in Chicago.

Teams passed on Fields because they have PLENTY of game film on him. If any of those teams thought he had real potential, they would have jumped on him. Instead a team trades a 6th round pick to have him as a one year backup QB to a 36 year old QB.

Maybe he’ll show up and be a great or even a good QB one day, but I don’t think the delay is the fault of coaching in his life. Just my two cents.

 

[fastforward]

No-one of sound mind is going to guarantee $25M in 2025 to a QB they don't see as a starter in 2024. There's nothing Fields can do in the next 5, (non-football), weeks that's going to change a football opinion formed over the last 3 years.

 

[Battlelyon]

 

[shopson67]

No-one of sound mind is going to guarantee $25M in 2025 to a QB they don't see as a starter in 2024. There's nothing Fields can do in the next 5, (non-football), weeks that's going to change a football opinion formed over the last 3 years.

The Browns might lol.

 

[shopson67]

The point is that Fields situation isn’t that different from many of first round QB’s throughout the years. There is a reason Fields has had 4 OC’s…if he actually lived up to the hype, then those coaches would still have a job as his OC and Fields would still be a starter in Chicago.

Teams passed on Fields because they have PLENTY of game film on him. If any of those teams thought he had real potential, they would have jumped on him. Instead a team trades a 6th round pick to have him as a one year backup QB to a 36 year old QB.

Maybe he’ll show up and be a great or even a good QB one day, but I don’t think the delay is the fault of coaching in his life. Just my two cents.

Teams have plenty of game film on Darnold, Dobbs, Pickett, Garrapolo, Mishew, etc and they keep getting contracts. It's a chicken/egg argument for the blame, but you can't bring along a young QB constantly changing the OC. It's the money decision that kept teams from having more interest.

He hasn't established himself as a consistent threat throwing the ball but he has the running ability to fall back on, something that the other QBs in his passing stat range can't match. Judging him as a lost cause is really just trolling at this point. If the Bears didn't have the Panthers' pick this year, they would be looking to build on his progress last season as their starting QB.