NFL Analysis
2/6/25
5 min read
2025 NFL Free Agency: Top Landing Spots for Steelers QB Justin Fields
It's a rough offseason to need a quarterback, but free agent QB Justin Fields remains one of the more interesting options available.
Fields signed a one-year deal last offseason to compete with Russell Wilson for the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting job. While Wilson eventually overtook Fields, the former Steelers quarterback went 4-2 in six starts with 10 games played, completing a career-high 65.8 percent of his passes for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and just one interception.
On top of some respectable passing efficiency, Fields continued to be a playmaker with his legs, rushing for 289 yards and another five scores.
Fields will likely be seeking a similar opportunity to compete for a starting job, but there's also a good chance that teams will offer him a deal to be a backup, either for an entrenched star or as a stop-gap successor for an aging quarterback.
Either way, there are a handful of teams where Fields could make sense as a QB1 or QB2.
Top Justin Fields Landing Spots
Indianapolis Colts 
If the Indianapolis Colts want to light a fire under Anthony Richardson, then signing another dual-threat quarterback would be a good way to do it.
Richardson had a disappointing sophomore season. He struggled to stay healthy and performed erratically on the field. His accuracy was a mess at times, but there were also flashes of the dominant, explosive playmaker that he's capable of becoming if he ever reaches his ceiling.
The best way to get Richardson to lock in is to sign some legitimate competition. Joe Flacco was a solid veteran presence, but the Colts were forced to change their offense when the 40-year-old had to play.
Fields could come to Indianapolis and bring a similar skill set to Richardson, utilizing his legs and arm talent to run the scheme that Shane Steichen has been building out during the last couple of seasons. It also might be Fields' best chance of playing as a preferred backup, either due to injury or performance.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard has been vocal about adding competition this offseason. Signing Fields would send a message to the rest of the team that no one's job is safe, even the former fourth-overall pick at quarterback.
Baltimore Ravens
What better team for Fields to take a short-term deal with and learn from than the Baltimore Ravens?
While Fields would likely never see the field, he'd have an opportunity to work side by side with arguably the best quarterback in the NFL right now, Lamar Jackson. The potential three-time MVP has found out how to develop as a lethal passer without sacrificing his mobility, which is something that Fields could benefit from, especially with a coaching staff featuring offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
For the Ravens, there aren't many other suitable QB2 options that fit what they do. Journeyman veteran Josh Johnson was the backup this year, but the 38-year-old is unlikely to come back this offseason, with retirement more likely on that table.
It's unlikely that Fields would be interested in a long-term deal, but if the market is cold, then another one-year deal in Baltimore could be a beneficial long-term play.
Las Vegas Raiders
Of all the teams in the league where Fields could most likely start in 2025, the Las Vegas Raiders actually make the most sense.
The Raiders are hoping to find a new quarterback this offseason and will likely look at the 2025 NFL Draft. However, with the sixth overall pick, they'd likely need to give up significant draft capital to move up for one of the two top quarterback prospects: Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders.
Instead of leveraging the future for quarterbacks who aren't considered blue-chip prospects, the Raiders could use their draft capital elsewhere while signing a stop-gap veteran with some explosive playmaking ability in Fields.
Las Vegas could even build out a pretty impressive offense around Fields this offseason. It found a couple of promising starting offensive linemen last offseason, along with a top-tier weapon in TE Brock Bowers. The Raiders could use their draft picks, along with more than $92 million in cap space, to build a significantly more competitive roster with Fields running the show.
Los Angeles Rams
If the Los Angeles Rams aren't interested in drafting a successor to Matthew Stafford, they could still sign one.
Fields may be entering his fifth season as a pro, but he's still just 25 years old and won't be commanding top-of-market money at the quarterback position. That makes him a cost-effective developmental project for an offensive mind like Sean McVay, who could help resurrect Fields' career.
This potential move would require Fields to be patient. Instead of gunning for a starting job in 2025, he'd have to be willing to sit for one or two years behind a potential Hall of Fame quarterback who is still playing some of his best football.
Still, for a team that's uncertain what the post-Stafford era will look like, there are worse options as their next quarterback than Fields, who has yet to reach his full potential as a starting quarterback.
