Grading the Justin Fields trade

After months of speculation and rumors that the Bears would actually not take a QB with the first overall pick, Chicago put all of that to rest, trading QB Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional 2025 6th round pick that can turn into a 4th round pick based on playing time. Fields and Chicago get a fresh start, and Pittsburgh gets a real QB to put pressure on Russell Wilson at a low risk.

So who wins this trade? Well, let’s grade it and see.

The Bears and Fields had to split. Chicago wasn’t going to get this chance to take a QB first overall again, and both sides needed a fresh start. On one hand, Chicago should feel lucky to get a 2025 Day 3 pick out of this trade, but somehow I still feel like Chicago kind of overshot their market in their initial Fields dealings. If they would’ve lowered their price from a 2024 Day 2 pick for Fields, maybe they could’ve gotten a pick for this years’ draft without the condition attached to it. Either way, I think this gets a passing grade because it was a necessary split for both parties, and Chicago can now take a QB at 1. No more excuses for Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles.

The Steelers have turned their QB room from Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph into Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Pretty good dealings, especially considering that both are pretty low risk. Per Adam Schefter, the conditional 6th will turn into a 4th if Fields plays at least 51% of snaps this season. Given Wilson’s knack for avoiding major injuries, the only thing keeping Fields from that is the Russ project not working out. And even then, it’s a one-year deal for Wilson so it’s not too risky. Pittsburgh has to figure out what to do with Fields’ fifth-year option by May 2, but for now, Fields gets to sit behind Russ and if Wilson stinks, Fields gets his shot to prove something. A low-risk, high reward move for the Steelers.