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Brooke Pryor, ESPN Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers are not expected to pick up quarterback Justin Fields‘ $25 million fifth-year option, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.
A first-round draft pick in 2021, Fields was traded to the Steelers by the Chicago Bears last month for a conditional sixth-round pick.
By not picking up Fields’ fifth-year option, the Steelers have a quarterback room where their top two players are playing out the final year of their contracts. Prior to trading for Fields, the Steelers signed Russell Wilson to a one-year deal for the league minimum.
Wilson is expected to start offseason workouts in “pole position” in the quarterback room, but Fields will be given a chance to compete when appropriate, coach Mike Tomlin said at last month’s annual league meetings.
“We’ve been very transparent about the pecking order, at least to start,” Tomlin said in Orlando, Florida. “I just think that provides clarity for all parties involved. Russell is a veteran, man. He’s got a proven process of readiness. He’s been in this league a long time. He’s capable of rallying troops, receivers, tight ends, running backs, etc. He’s just got a lot of experience in terms of what it takes to be the guy over the course of a 12-month calendar, and I just think that that’s something that a younger guy like Justin could learn from.”
Though the Steelers aren’t expected to pick up Fields’ option, they still have one more decision to make, on running back Najee Harris.
Selected at No. 24 in 2021, Harris’ fifth-year option comes with a $6.79 million price tag. General manager Omar Khan said Monday that he expects to make the decision on Harris next week prior to the May 2 deadline.
