Justin Fields commerce: How contract, timing boxed Bears into smaller return than Steelers obtained for Kenny Pickett

Late on Saturday night, the Chicago Bears clarified their quarterback scenario, sending a transparent sign that they are going to be taking a quarterback with the No. 1 total decide on this yr’s draft by dealing incumbent starter Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional sixth-round decide that may turn into a fourth-rounder if Fields performs 51% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps subsequent season. 

One of the crucial frequent instant reactions to the commerce was to query how the Bears managed to get so little in return for Fields, who has struggled with inconsistency as a passer however has at the least flashed high-level upside every so often, and who has emerged as one of many premier dashing threats on the place. With Fields nonetheless only in the near past turning 25 years outdated, it is laborious to consider there wasn’t a extra important marketplace for his providers.

However in accordance with ESPN, Chicago had sought a return much like the one Sam Darnold fetched when he was traded to Carolina in 2021 (a sixth-round decide in 2022, plus second- and fourth-rounders in 2022) and as an alternative ended up settling for merely a conditional Day 3 choice. In the meantime, the Steelers traded their very own incumbent starter, Kenny Pickett, to the Philadelphia Eagles together with a fourth-round decide on this yr’s draft, receiving a third-rounder and two 2025 seventh-round picks in return.

By nearly any affordable measure, the Steelers obtained extra for Pickett than the Bears did for Fields, regardless of Pickett’s having proven valuable little outdoors of the preseason that would go away one to consider that he has the requisite ability set or upside to be an NFL starter.

There are a pair elements that contributed to this. The primary is the gamers’ respective contracts. It appears clear that the marketplace for each gamers handled them as backup quarterbacks. Apparently, no person was all that inquisitive about having Fields be their starter subsequent season. 

So, in essence, groups could be buying and selling for a backup QB who solely has one yr left on his low cost, rookie-scale contract, which can pay him roughly $3.2 million for the 2024 season. Pickett has two low cost years left, totaling $4.6 million. For those who’re attempting to amass a backup on a budget, it is higher to have the ability to maintain his prices down for 2 years than for merely one.

The group buying Fields additionally has the best to choose up his fifth-year choice for the 2025 marketing campaign, however that is going to run round $25.7 million, so it is extremely unlikely that any group could be selecting it up. So, with Fields, it is one low cost yr, after which he is a free agent and also you both must pay him, or let him go away. That contributes to a smaller return.

However that brings us to the second contributing issue: timing. There have been a number of home windows all through this offseason throughout which the Bears might have traded Fields: pre-free company; throughout or after the primary wave of free company (i.e. now); through the draft; after the draft; or throughout coaching camp. 

Getting a deal earlier than free company would have given the Bears a first-mover benefit, as a result of the opposite backup and beginning quarterbacks had but to be signed or traded. They may have set the market. Now that gamers like Kirk Cousins, Darnold, Marcus Mariota, Gardner Minshew, Drew Lock, Tyrod Taylor, Pickett, Desmond Ridder, and Sam Howell have all modified squads, most groups suppose they’ve their quarterback conditions just about set. Those that do not, determine they will land a QB within the draft.

That is why ready till the draft might have additionally helped the Steelers improve their return. Not each group that wishes a quarterback within the draft is more likely to have issues break their manner. If one group or one other obtained shut out of the market, they may have turned their eyes on Fields as an alternative. And naturally, something — together with accidents — can occur throughout coaching camp, and swiftly, you would possibly be capable of commerce Fields for significantly extra, to a group that loses its starter. (See: Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings in 2016.)

However as an alternative, realizing that groups seen Fields on this second as merely a backup quarterback, the Bears selected to commerce him through the one window at which he was virtually sure to be the nadir of his worth this offseason.