Justin Fields traded to the Steelers as Omar Khan’s aggressive offseason continues.

Justin Fields has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers from the Chicago Bears with Pittsburgh sending just a 6th round pick in 2025 back the Bears’ way, which will turn into a 4th round pick if Fields plays 51% of the plays this upcoming season (per @AdamSchefter on X). This move comes just 1 day after Kenny Pickett was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, after the Steelers had already released Mitchell Trubisky, chosen not to extend Mason Rudolph, and then signed Russell Wilson to a 1-year deal on a veteran minimum salary worth $1.21 million. The Steelers’ quarterback room in the 2023 season was Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitchell Trubisky. Now, before we have even entered the month of the 2024 draft, Pittsburgh has Russel Wilson and Justin Fields with the three names listed before all gone.

If we go back to the beginning of the offseason, Pittsburgh had been rumoured to be in for Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields, but not many would have thought they would land both. That is because many thought that even if they did sign one of them, which they did in Wilson, Pickett would stay on to compete. But after Pickett’s surprise trade to the Eagles, the Fields rumours returned and now we are in a position where Fields and Wilson will both be in the black and gold next season. What is perhaps most impressive about this though is that all the Steelers have given up is a $1.21 million dollar contract and a 6th round pick next year (which could end up being a 4th round pick).

Omar Khan waited patiently for Fields’ value to get less and less as potential suitors such as the Falcons opted for other options in Kirk Cousins. Now, Pittsburgh has a man who could be the long-term future of the franchise but will likely sit behind Russell Wilson in the 2024 season. Of course, performances in training camp could change this completely.

In terms of Fields’ contract, Pittsburgh owes him just over $3 million this season and now has the right to his fifth-year option. The Steelers are paying their current quarterback room under $5 million, and it is in a much stronger position than it was last year.

In just his second full offseason as Steelers general manager, Omar Khan has been incredibly aggressive, as to go along with these blockbuster quarterback moves, he signed linebacker Patrick Queen to a three-year deal worth $41 million. The 2023 Second-Team All-Pro will bring elite talent to a position that the Steelers have struggled to find a franchise player in since Ryan Shazier suffered a terrible career-ending injury in 2017.

Khan’s aggressiveness this offseason will be welcomed openly by most Steelers fans as many have been frustrated in recent years at the traditional moves the team has made despite their last playoff win coming in the 2016/17 season. These traditions have been blown out of the water this offseason, though, going all the way back to when Arthur Smith was hired as the new offensive coordinator in early February. Not all Steelers fans would have been thrilled with that move, but they would have been glad it wasn’t another hiring within the organisation like the Matt Canada hiring a few years ago was.

The Steelers may not be Super Bowl contenders yet, but these aggressive deals show that Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin, and Omar Khan have all had enough of the recent failings of the team in the postseason. None of them want to keep hearing how impressive it is that Pittsburgh hasn’t had a losing season since 2003 given that after last season they have also gone seven seasons without a playoff win. The owner and head coach in Pittsburgh might still be the same, but the attitude certainly isn’t. The Steelers are finally catching up with the modern NFL.