Reporter predicts if Steelers will sign Justin Fields to extension this summer

Pittsburgh Steelers reporter Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette doesn't envision the club signing quarterback Justin Fields to a short-term contract extension this summer.

"I don't think so," Fittipaldo said about the situation during a Thursday appearance on Pittsburgh sports radio station 93.7 The Fan, as shared by Matthew Marczi of Steelers Depot. "In terms of quarterbacks, I just think they want to see how it plays out. I think that's been what the plan was since March."

The Steelers acquired Fields from the Chicago Bears for a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick in March shortly after the club signed veteran Russell Wilson to a team-friendly contract. Pittsburgh ultimately declined Fields' fifth-year option, and Wilson reportedly emerged as the "undisputed leader" of the Steelers offense ahead of the club's summer break.

"You would want to find out if he could play, and there's no guarantees," Fittipaldo said about Fields. "If Russell Wilson plays well and if Russell Wilson stays healthy, then you might not know. You might be locked into $13M for 2025, and Russell Wilson is gonna want his money, too."

Specifically, Fittipaldo was referencing how the Steelers seemingly don't want to sign Fields to the type of extension the Green Bay Packers gave Jordan Love last offseason. While the Packers handed Love the figurative keys to the offense ahead of the 2023 campaign, Wilson is on track to start Pittsburgh's regular-season opener at the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8.

"There's no easy answer to this question," Fittipaldo added during the segment. "I think in the end, they're gonna see what goes down in 2024 and then they'll work feverishly from the end of the season until the middle of March to try to figure out who they're gonna pay and how much they're gonna pay them."

Both Wilson and Fields can hit the open market in March 2025, and NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated suggested earlier this week that neither signal-caller "lit the world on fire" during springtime workouts.

It remains to be seen if Fields will receive legitimate opportunities to leapfrog Wilson on the depth chart from training camp through at least one preseason game.