
At mid-season, the prevailing belief regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation was that the team would bring back Russell Wilson on a multiyear deal. However, a five-game losing streak to close out the season—including a playoff defeat—appears to have significantly altered that expectation. While Pittsburgh has yet to clarify its plans and likely won’t for several weeks, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Monday, Jan. 21, that many NFL insiders still anticipate Wilson remaining in black and gold for the 2025 preseason.
At the same time, there is another perspective that suggests the Steelers may part ways with Wilson, though not necessarily with the quarterback he replaced after six games last season—former Chicago Bears first-round pick Justin Fields. Fowler himself predicted that Pittsburgh will re-sign Fields while also selecting a rookie quarterback in the NFL Draft, scheduled for late April, and signing him to a multiyear contract.
“The Russell Wilson experiment wasn’t a failure—he showed potential and provided a midseason spark for the offense. However, he was brought in to help the Steelers succeed in the playoffs, where they once again suffered a first-round exit,” Fowler wrote. “Some executives believe Pittsburgh could retain Wilson, but Fields, at 25 years old, is 11 years younger and possesses an electrifying skill set that the team could build around—at least for another season.”
Pittsburgh holds the No. 21 overall pick in the first round and may opt against selecting a quarterback due to the relative weakness of this draft class at the position. However, the Steelers could target a QB with the No. 52 pick, depending on where they anticipate second-tier signal-callers will be taken—prospects such as Alabama’s Jalen Milroe or Texas’ Quinn Ewers, for instance.
Another possibility for Pittsburgh is trading down from the No. 21 pick if the team prioritizes quarterback with its first selection. This strategy could position the Steelers to pursue the third quarterback off the board—behind Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders—either late in the first round or early in the second. Additionally, it would allow the team to acquire an extra pick for Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft.