The Atlanta Falcons are one of the teams that may consider trading for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields in the near future, and they will face competition for his services. Another team in the market for a veteran quarterback is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who recently hired former Falcons coach Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator.
NFL Network analyst Steve Wyche believes that Smith’s hiring in Pittsburgh could hurt the Steelers’ chances of trading for Fields. Wyche stated on “The NFL Report” that “this conversation about the Steelers continues to intrigue me, because Arthur Smith, when he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, wanted no parts of Justin Fields. He had the possibility of being drafted. They took Kyle Pitts. Why now, all of sudden, would the head coach who designed the offense take a liking to Justin Fields?” The Falcons had the opportunity to select Fields with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but the team, which needed a quarterback, opted for tight end Kyle Pitts instead.
With Smith no longer in Atlanta, the Falcons are now more likely to trade for Fields, and the Steelers are less likely to do so. Coach Mike Tomlin has expressed interest in Fields, but it’s difficult to imagine the Steelers trading for him after Smith passed on him in the 2021 NFL Draft. There could be a change of heart, but this could take the Steelers out of the running for Fields and make the Falcons a more likely destination for the Bears quarterback on the trade block.
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