Re-Grading Biggest Trades, Free-Agent Signings of 2024 NFL Offseason

Wilson Contract Terms: One year, $1.2 million

Justin Fields Trade Terms: Steelers Receive Justin Fields, Bears Receive 2025 sixth-round pick (can become a fourth-round pick based on playing time)

The quarterback and play-caller are always the first two to get the blame for a failing offense. The Pittsburgh Steelers made moves to make sure they replaced both this offseason.

Head coach Mike Tomlin first replaced former offensive coordinator Matt Canada with Arthur Smith, the former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Then the Steelers went to work on finding a new quarterback.

They opted for two of the best bargains at the position this offseason.

Because of Russell Wilson’s unprecedented exit in Denver, the Steelers were able to sign Wilson to a minimum contract. Then the Bears were willing to trade Justin Fields to the Steelers for cheap because they had the No. 1 overall pick, which they used on quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Steelers landed two quarterbacks who started for their respective teams last season at bargain-bin prices. Those were a pair of shrewd moves, but there’s also a reason why those two were available at that cost.

There’s still a good chance that the Steelers’ quarterback of the future is still not on the roster. Wilson will turn 36 in November and has taken 527 career regular-season sacks.

Fields has promise, but it’s fair to wonder if he’ll ever improve his timing and anticipation enough to thrive as an NFL quarterback. He held on to the ball longer than anyone in the league last season, per Next Gen Stats.

The rest of the Steelers’ moves on offense were half-measures. They are giving Wilson and Fields enough weapons to be functional, but they’re hardly all-in on the 2024 season.

As for the Bears, the return for Fields seems underwhelming, but they waited too long to pull the trigger on trading him. It was better for them to cut their losses before they spent the No. 1 overall pick on Williams.