Justin Fields stats: Career performance, contract value, 40 time, & more to know about Steelers new QB

The Steelers planned to remodel their quarterback room during the 2024 NFL offseason, but many presumed they were done when they signed Russell Wilson to a one-year, veteran minimum deal.

Then, Kenny Pickett threw a wrench into their plans. The Steelers reportedly didn't like how the 2022 first-round pick handled the Wilson signing and traded Pickett to the Eagles.

That briefly left Wilson as the only quarterback on the Steelers roster. Pittsburgh had already cut Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph signed with the Titans in free agency.

The Steelers remedied their lack of depth by trading for Justin Fields. The former Bears starter was known to be available with Chicago likely to select Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.

Ultimately, the Bears sold low on Fields. That gives the Steelers some upside at quarterback behind Wilson as the team continues to search for its long-term successor to Ben Roethlisberger.

Fields comes with some warts, but his athletic upside and reasonable contract make him a nice fit for the Steelers.

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Justin Fields stats

Fields has posted modest stats through his first three NFL seasons. He improved as a passer from year to year in his first three seasons but still struggles with accuracy, as he has completed just 60.3 percent of his career passes.

Below is a look at Fields' passing stats from his three seasons with the Bears.

Fields made strides each season, but his career record of 10-28 as a starter doesn't inspire much confidence. He has the tools needed to win more — especially paired with a rock-solid Steelers defense and coach Mike Tomlin, who has never had a losing season in Pittsburgh — but to be a more consistent winner, he must improve his accuracy.

If Fields can become a better passer, he should become a true, dual-threat quarterback. As it stands, he's one of the league's best scramblers when healthy and logged the second-most single-season rushing yards by a quarterback in 2022 (1,143).

Below is a look at Fields' rushing stats to date:

Lamar Jackson is presently the only quarterback who can rival Fields' scrambling ability. That gives the young, Steelers quarterback a way to compensate for some of his passing deficiencies.

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Justin Fields 40 time

It's not surprising that Fields is one of the NFL's most productive running quarterbacks. He is among the league's fastest signal-callers, as he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds at his Pro Day in 2021.

That's the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash time recorded by a quarterback, behind only Michael Vick (4.33 seconds), Reggie McBeal (4.40) and Robert Griffin III (4.41).

Fields' speed and scrambling prowess make him a threatening weapon for any offense. But for him to live up to his potential — and contract — with the Steelers, he needs to take one more big leap forward as a passer. Perhaps that will happen under Arthur Smith's tutelage.

Justin Fields career earnings & contract

Fields has one season remaining on the four-year, nearly-$18.9 million rookie contract he originally signed with the Bears after his selection in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has a cap hit of just over $3.23 million for the 2024 NFL season, a more-than-reasonable sum for a high-end backup and potential starting quarterback.

That said, the Steelers face an issue in assessing Fields' future. The 25-year-old has a fifth-year option on his contract that Pittsburgh can exercise for the 2025 NFL season. That would award Fields a fully guaranteed $25.66 million deal for that campaign.

The Steelers seem unlikely to exercise that option considering Fields' performance hasn't been worthy of that significant payday.

Still, it stands to reason that Mike Tomlin and Co. are interested in extending Fields. They traded an asset for him, after all.

The Steelers view Russell Wilson as their starter, but the 35-year-old may not be long for that role. Wilson is a free agent after the 2024 NFL season, and he might not be willing to sign for the veteran minimum next season with the Broncos not footing his $39 million bill. Developing Fields and then giving him a chance to start could intrigue Tomlin and Co.

Perhaps that interest will encourage the Steelers to work out a more team-friendly extension for Fields. They could take a page out of the Packers' playbook and give Fields an extension akin to the one-year, $13.5 million base value deal Green Bay gave Jordan Love before the 2023 NFL season.

Love proved to be worth that investment, and his contract for 2024 could be worth up to $22.5 million if he earns specific incentives. That type of deal may be the best way for the Steelers to convince Fields to stay in Pittsburgh as he looks to resurrect his career.

What pick was Justin Fields?

Even if Fields can't find success with the Steelers, the trade looks like a good one for Pittsburgh.

Fields was the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Steelers acquired him three years later for the low cost of a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The selection can become a fourth-round pick if Fields plays 51 percent of Pittsburgh's snaps in 2024.

Either way, the Steelers aren't surrendering a top-100 pick to acquire Fields. That seems like a good value and further showcases that the 2021 NFL Draft's quarterback class wasn't as strong as many anticipated.

Along with Fields, three of the five quarterbacks selected in the first round have been traded — with another seeking a trade.

While Fields was a bust for the Bears, they weren't alone in misevaluating the potential-packed crop of passers available in 2021.