The Pittsburgh Steelers' loss to the Baltimore Ravens in their AFC Wild Card game marks yet another trip to the postseason for the AFC North team that resulted in zero playoff wins. While the Cleveland Browns are on the outside looking in this season with the NFL playoffs, it also doesn't mean that they're completely inaffected by these losses.
Pittsburgh losing after shuffling quarterbacks mid-season and handing Russell Wilson the reigns over Justin Fields is becoming a storyline, especially as Wilson completely faded towards the tail end of the Steelers season and just didn't look like the veteran quarterback the team had signed in 2024.
With Wilson struggling mightily and with Fields still so young with an opportunity to get even better in the right situation, it feels like the Steelers loss might have made Fields all the more difficult for Cleveland to sign in the offseason.
Fields is likely to be pursued by Steelers this offseason
Fields feels destined to be courted by Pittsburgh this offseason as he's set to become a free agent, just like Wilson is set to become one. But, Fields is familiar with how head coach Mike Tomlin operates, and that might make him worth a decent contract for the Steelers this offseason.
However, Cleveland might have more wiggle room cap-wise than initially anticipated. With Deshaun Watson's recent re-injury of his Achilles injury, there's a possibility that the team will be able to recoup his cap hit in 2026 as they insured much of his guaranteed contract. So, they'd likely be more willing to offer a good deal to Fields in 2025 knowing it won't hurt them much the following year.
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The Steelers cap situation is far more straight forward, and a lot more appealing to someone like Fields who might be looking for a bit of a pay day to replace Wilson as their starter permanently. They currently have $52,353,766 in cap space available for 2025, which is ninth in the league. The Browns, on the flip side, are second to last in cap space.
Moves are going to be made to make the signing of someone like Fields, or Kirk Cousins, or Tyrod Taylor, or Jimmy Garoppolo, possible. Trades are going to make it possible to clear up enough cap space to break even, and to sign multiple veterans to support whoever they have starting Week 1 at quarterback.
Pittsburgh is going to want to keep Fields no matter what, though, so Browns fans might need to pivot to an older option in free agency given Wilson's performance for the Steelers to finish up 2024 and the liklihood that they'll be cleaning house a bit ahead of 2025.