Head coach Mike Tomlin said Wednesday that Fields and the first-team offense will likely play a couple of drives in Friday's preseason game against Houston, Missi Matthews of the Steelers' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Fellow quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) won't play despite returning to full practice participation Tuesday, with Tomlin noting that the 35-year-old is still in the driver's seat for the Week 1 start, as reflected by Pittsburgh's initial preseason depth chart, per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com. Fields may still be an underdog for the starting quarterback job, but he's getting plenty of opportunities to make an impression and gain ground on Wilson thanks to the calf injury that limited Wilson for the first two weeks of training camp.

Fields has impressed early in training camp and is still attempting to make a case for the starting quarterback job, Brooke Pryor of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Fields has seen increased work with the first-team offense over the first few days of training camp since Russell Wilson has been hampered by a calf injury. While coach Mike Tomlin recently said that Wilson continues to have "pole position" in the quarterback competition, Fields has posed a challenge for Pittsburgh's defense through his versatility as a passer and runner. While Wilson remains the favorite to start with just over a month remaining until the regular season, Fields should continue to have the chance to compete for the job during preseason action.

Fields is getting regular first-team reps while Russell Wilson misses a few days of practice with a calf injury, ESPN's Brooke Pryor reports.

EDGE Analysis

Wilson first noticed calf tightness Thursday morning and has since been limited to observer status in back-to-back practices. He reportedly wanted to participate but was held back by the coaching staff, which suggests it isn't a major injury and the 35-year-old will be back in action soon enough. Coach Mike Tomlin said "nothing has changed" in regard to Wilson having "pole position" for the Week 1 start, but this at least gives Fields the opportunity to take more reps with the players he'll be throwing to if he ends up under center at some point in-season. Tomlin declined to elaborate on a plan for dividing first-team QB reps once Wilson returns to practice.

The Steelers aren't expected to pick up the fifth-year option on Fields' rookie contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

It perhaps goes without saying, given that Fields is coming in as the second QB on the depth chart and would be guaranteed around $25.66 million in 2025 if the Steelers were to pick up his option before the May 2 deadline. While the team may have interest in keeping him around beyond the upcoming season, it won't be at that price before he's ever put on a Steelers uniform. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports that fellow offseason acquisition Russell Wilson will enter offseason workouts in "pole position" at quarterback, with Fields then getting a chance to compete at some point in the future, according to coach Mike Tomlin. Fields is on track to be a free agent next spring, and his playing time between now and then seems largely dependent on Wilson struggling.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that Fields "will be given an opportunity to show his capabilities" even though Russell Wilson "has pole position" to be Pittsburgh's starting quarterback in 2024, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's still not quite clear if the Steelers' two new quarterbacks will compete for the starting job this spring/summer, as Tomlin's comments also could be interpreted as a suggestion that Wilson will be the No. 1 but without any assurances of staying in the spot if he struggles in practice (and eventually games). Reports shortly after Fields was traded suggested he'd be coming in as a clear backup, though it's probably worth noting that the QB-related reporting out of Pittsburgh this offseason has been rather unreliable. In any case, the team did well to acquire Wilson on a one-year, $1.21 million contract, later adding Fields in exchange for a sixth-round pick (that can become a fourth-rounder if he plays more than half the snaps in 2024). Neither QB is signed beyond the upcoming season, and the Steelers are unlikely to pick up the fifth-year option on Fields' rookie contract before the May 2 deadline.

Fields, whom the Steelers acquired from the Bears on Saturday in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick, isn't expected to compete for Pittsburgh's starting quarterback job and is line to serve as a backup to Russell Wilson during the 2024 season, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though Fields is due a larger salary in the final year of his rookie deal in 2024 than Wilson will earn on his one-year, $1.21 million contract, the Steelers are inclined to have Fields learn from Wilson rather than looking for the 25-year-old to directly challenge the nine-time Pro Bowler for the top spot on the depth chart. While Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that the Steelers are expected to decline Fields' pricey $25.66 million player option for 2025 prior to the May 2 deadline to do so, such a move wouldn't necessarily preclude Pittsburgh from re-signing the signal-caller next offseason if they're satisfied with his work in practices or in any action he might see in place of Wilson during his first season in the organization. Given that the 2025 sixth-round pick the Steelers gave up to acquire Fields would turn into a fourth-round pick if he plays more than 51 percent of the team's snaps this season, Pittsburgh has some extra incentive to stay committed to Wilson, at least for the early part of the campaign. Fields' fantasy outlook could brighten in 2025 if the Steelers commit to him as a starter or if he lands a more favorable opportunity elsewhere in free agency next spring, but at least for the upcoming season, he doesn't look as though he'll be anything more than a luxury stash in most redraft leagues.

The Steelers acquired Fields from the Bears on Saturday in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

According to Schefter, the 2025 pick can become a fourth-round pick if Fields reaches an unspecified playing-time threshold with the Steelers in 2024. The trade sets up an interesting quarterback situation for the Steelers, who signed Russell Wilson to a low-cost one-year deal in free agency after he was waived by the Broncos earlier in the week. The Bears, meanwhile, have cleared the deck to draft a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which in all likelihood will be USC's Caleb Williams.

General manager Ryan Poles said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine that if the Bears decide they will be selecting a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft, the team would attempt to trade Fields before the start of free agency March 13, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Poles' comments could be read as a response to Fields' recently stated desire for clarity on his future in Chicago, and it sounds like a decision could be made more quickly than expected. The official start of free agency is just over two weeks away, while the legal tampering period will begin March 11. If, as expected, the Bears determine they will be selectin a QB like Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft, trade options for Fields could include the Steelers, Falcons, Patriots, Raiders and Broncos. In 13 games last season, the 2021 first-round pick compiled 2,562 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions, to go with 657 rushing yards and four scores.

Fields said Wednesday during his appearance on the "St. Brown Bros Podcast" that he prefers to stays in Chicago but wants to know if he's getting traded as soon as possible.

EDGE Analysis

Fields downplayed his recent decision to unfollow the Bears' official account on Instagram, noting that he also unfollowed other accounts (including the NFL's) to avoid having football content on his timeline during the offseason. He had nothing but praise for Bears fans and the city of Chicago, but Fields also seemed well aware of the possibility of being replaced by the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Talking with teammate Equanimeous St. Brown and Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown on their podcast, Fields mentioned a couple of the teams rumored to have interest in trading for him, saying that the Steelers have a great stadium atmosphere and the Falcons have impressive playmakers on offense. Atlanta is the early favorite in betting markets to acquire the Georgia native, with other possibilities including Pittsburgh, New England, Las Vegas and Denver. Despite Fields' desire for a quick resolution on his future, the Bears' decision on whether to keep him on the roster for 2024 or work toward a trade could drag on for weeks, or even months.

Fields completed 11 of 16 passes for 148 yards while adding 27 yards on four rushing attempts in the Bears' 17-9 loss to the Packers on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Aside from a hot streak in Weeks 4 and 5 when Fields threw eight touchdown passes, he failed to throw more than one scoring strike in any of his other 10 starts. In 13 games played, he passed for 2,562 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Fields also rushed 120 times for 657 yards and four scores. Chicago will need to make some decisions this offseason in regards to their quarterback. First, the franchise has the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, so they can choose to start over at the position or go with Fields. Also, the team will need to decide whether to pick up the quarterback's fifth-year option.