As the boys of summer in the MLB gather in warm climes to start the engine of the Baseball season, and as the NHL and NBA’s haves distinguish themselves from the have-nots, it’s easy to let thoughts of NFL football fall by the wayside. But for those of us who eat, sleep and eat gridiron, the talking points never cease. The NFL offseason is so rife with unbridled speculation that you could say the talking points have never been more plentiful.
Particularly, talking about potential free-agent landing spots dominates the NFL pundit landscape in much the same way as it does other leagues. Dreaming of your team landing that one perfect addition, or cursing the prospect of your hated rivals pipping the star player at the eleventh hour is truly speculation at its best. And with the ever-glowing promise of the draft on the horizon, the teams on the outside looking in can dream of players of the future reframing their hopes to look distinctly championship-like.
It’s at the convergence of the free agent talk and the draft dreams that we find today’s most interesting subject; (current) Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields.
You see Fields and the Bears both find themselves in pretty interesting positions. Fields is a good, if not great quarterback whose potential may yet be uncovered in years to come. The Bears meanwhile are the organization in possession of this year’s first overall pick, after some clever manoeuvring one year ago, and must decide whether to hitch their proverbial wagon on a shiny new toy or opt to stick with Fields and use the pick to get him some much-needed reinforcement.
The reality of the situation is this; the allure of a first-overall Quarterback is hard to ignore for any franchise, and the indication, at least right now, is that Fields and the Bears are heading for a breakup. If we’re to put stock in the social media of the parties involved, the fact that not too long ago Justin himself unfollowed the Bears on his accounts is a pretty strong sign that he agrees with me.
So “Bear”ing all that in mind, let’s break down the odds for Justin Fields landing spots outside of Chicago and break down the top 3 candidates before I make my pick for what I believe his new home will be.
Justin Fields Team in 2024-2025 Odds
| Team |  |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | -275 |
| Chicago Bears | +250 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +400 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +1000 |
| New England Patriots | +1600 |
All odds courtesy of 
The Atlanta Falcons
The odds darling as of today, the Falcons are an intriguing and altogether sensible landing spot for not only Fields, but any of the marquee free-agent QBs available this offseason. Between Fields, Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins, it makes the most sense to me for Atlanta to pursue Fields the hardest. The Falcons are a young team with capable players dotted throughout the lineup, that like Fields, are still not finished developing. Adding Fields to an equally young group and allowing that group to gel and coalesce together would be a no-brainer. But more importantly, there are more personal reasons to believe a Fields-Falcons connection will be made. Fields is a native of Georgia, having grown up right outside Atlanta in the small town of Kennesaw. The Falcons themselves were heavily linked to Fields in the 2021 draft, before opting to shore up their TE position with the 4th overall selection of Kyle Pitts. Atlanta seems to be entering a competitive window, they flirted with a playoff berth throughout the 2023 season but ultimately fell short, in large part due to spotty QB play. A legit quarterback edition is priority 1 for the franchise and local boy Fields would certainly fit the bill.
The Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are another team that nearly made the playoffs in 2023 before ultimately falling short. For a team that’s nearly there, an addition of a talented, new-look QB can really jump-start things. I for one am a believer in Pittsburgh’s current QB Kenny Pickett, even though the Steelers seem decidedly less convinced. Fields would instantly deliver a new, mobile offensive attack to the Steelers and would pair well with Najee Harris in a potent ground attack. There’s reason to believe that Fields is the type of QB the Steelers covet, but maybe not the kind of commitment they’re willing to make at this stage. I say this in part due to Pittsburgh’s heavily rumoured pursuit of Russel Wilson. Wilson presents a similar package to Fields, albeit a much older version, but also presents less of a long-term arrangement. Fields will likely be looking for some security after some wishy-washy years in Chicago and I just don’t see the Steelers as being in a spot talent-wise to make that kind of move. There’s certainly smoke to the Fields fire in Steeltown but I think the flames of a Wilson acquisition are burning a little brighter right now.
Justin Fields Team on September 5th 2024 – PIT Steelers
+400
The Las Vegas Raiders
Probably the most intriguing potential Fields landing spot is that off Las Vegas (with the caveat that the Raiders manage to hold on to free agent RB Josh Jacobs). Fields and Jacobs would make for a formidable tandem which would open up passing options to Davante Adams. Vegas is in transition as new coach Antonio Pierce aims to put his stamp on the squad. A splashy move like the acquisition of Fields would certainly set the strip abuzz, and current QB Aidan O’Connell, although demonstrating improvement, simply doesn’t move the needle enough for a franchise that will likely be paying their premier RB and WR a king’s ransom for seasons to come. They need a QB who’s got the star power to match and Justin Fields may very well be the marketable star they reach for.
Prediction – Atlanta Falcons
It’s hard to ignore the smoke coming off the Falcons rumour mill right now as it hums along at a steady pace. Sure someone like Kirk Cousins could yet throw a wrench in the plans but it’s hard to discount a local boy coming home like Fields would be should he join Atlanta. Las Vegas presents probably the best fit in my estimation, but may not be able to pull off both the re-signing of star RB Josh Jacobs and Justin Fields in the same off-season. Though I am ultimately picking the Falcons as Justin Fields’ landing spot for next year, the odds for the Vegas pick are certainly tempting enough to stake both.
Justin Fields Team on September 5th 2024 – ATL Falcons
-275
