Todd McShay: Steelers, Falcons, Vikings Now Likely Landing Spot For Justin Fields Depending On Kirk Cousins

The Pittsburgh Steelers will not be able to escape the Justin Fields rumors until a trade is officially finalized. They have already been confirmed to be in negotiations with the Chicago Bears, but the extent of those negotiations is unknown. With free agency approaching rapidly, the Bears are hoping to get this done quickly. There are still many hurdles that need to be cleared, and some of them may not be cleared until free agency. Either way, the list of teams that are interested in Fields is already small, so the Steelers still have a good chance to acquire him. 

While appearing as a guest on The Ryen Russillo Podcast, Todd McShay broke down what it would take for a team to trade for Fields, as well as the teams that are interested in him. There is definitely a realistic shot that the Steelers can get a deal done, and it would be shocking if either them or a couple other teams couldn't get it done. 

"Justin [Fields] will get moved. Kirk Cousins is probably going to have to get moved first. We'll have to see where he lands. But I think the three most likely, and I'd be shocked if it's not one of these teams to land Justin Fields, are Atlanta [Falcons], Pittsburgh [Steelers], Minnesota [Vikings], and maybe in that order," claims McShay.

The Atlanta Falcons were previously rumored to be close to a deal with the Bears, but that report got shut down quickly. McShay still sees them as the favorite to trade for Fields, with the Steelers in second place. The Minnesota Vikings are also in the conversation, but that would be an interesting move, considering the Vikings and Bears are in the same division. 

McShay also mentioned that the price to get Fields is lower than what other reports have said. He claimed that it would take a third-round pick and a potential conditional mid-round pick in 2025 to land Fields, while many other sources have said it would take at least a second-round pick. For the Vikings, the price might be even higher due to the aforementioned divisional rivalry. 

With the Vikings most likely out of the picture, it would be between the Falcons and Steelers on who can outbid the other team for Fields. The Falcons might have the advantage, as they have the better draft picks, but would they be willing to give those picks up? It can be both a blessing and a curse for the Falcons. There are a lot of factors in play, and those factors could drag on this saga well into March.

Would The Steelers Explore Other Options First?

Even though everyone is talking about Fields, Kirk Cousins might be the prized quarterback of free agency. The Steelers and Falcons might want to try and negotiate with him first, especially since it won't cost draft picks to sign him. If he can recover from his torn Achilles effectively, he could be even better than Fields. His ceiling is much lower than Fields', but he's a proven quarterback that could elevate a team somewhat.

Another issue is that Omar Khan said that he has full faith in Kenny Pickett as his quarterback, and he would rather sign a veteran to compete with him, rather than find someone to take the job from him immediately. There are many cheap veteran quarterbacks on the open market, and the Steelers could just save money and draft capital by getting someone like Russell Wilson or Ryan Tannehill.