The Pittsburgh Steelers might find themselves in the quarterback market again this offseason with both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields set to become unrestricted free agents. The Steelers are expected to explore extensions with both Wilson and Fields this offseason, however, both quarterbacks are expected to field competitive offers on the open market.
With both Wilson and Fields in danger of departing, Pittsburgh needs to have a backup plan in place. One recent report indicates that the plan could be to target former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones in free agency.
Steelers reportedly interested in signing former Giants QB Daniel Jones
According to Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan, there are some inside the Steelers’ organization who are interested in potentially signing Jones this offseason:
“Source: There’s interest in former Giants QB Daniel Jones inside the Steelers organization,” Fillipponi posted on X. “Quote: ‘[The Steelers] could do a lot worse than Jones.’ With the belief he actually is a good fit for Arthur Smith’s offense. And Mike Tomlin’s preference for a mobile quarterback.”
Jones was benched and released by the Giants mid-season in 2024. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings shortly after and spent the remainder of the year serving as the Skol’s backup/practice squad quarterback.
Prior to his benching, Jones had gone 2-8 as the starter in 2024, throwing for 2,070 yards with an 8-7 TD-INT ratio. He was the starter for the Giants from 2019 to 2024 but had only one winning season in 2022. Jones took the G-Men to the playoffs that year and won a matchup in the Wild Card Round.
Injuries have been a problem for Jones throughout his career, though, which is something the Steelers will need to consider before signing the 27-year-old. However, with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith returning, Jones could potentially be a fit for his offense, as the report indicates.
Other reports indicate that Smith and Wilson dealt with tension during the 2024 season, which could cause the team’s starter to bounce for a new opportunity this offseason.
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The Steelers might have competition for Jones
According to reports, the Steelers are not the only AFC North team interested in signing Jones this offseason. The Cleveland Browns were also linked to Jones earlier this offseason.
Despite his failures in the Big Apple, there seem to be a number of organizations interested in taking a chance on Jones this offseason. This probably says more about the thinness of the quarterback market than it says about Jones. However, as seen with other recent late-bloomers like Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Geno Smith, there is always a chance that a change of scenery sparks a breakout.
