First, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson found himself in a bench role with the New York Giants this season. Now, the same may be happened with fellow former Steelers signal-caller Justin Fields.
The New York Jets benched Fields in favor of veteran Tyrod Taylor due to poor play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. After the loss, which dropped the Jets to 0-7, head coach Aaron Glenn was non-committal on Fields as the team’s starter going forward.
Glenn echoed that sentiment Monday morning.
“That’s something that I want to continue to look at. Again, it’s early on Monday,” Glenn told reporters, via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. “There’s a lot of thought that goes into that, me personally. And then being able to get with the staff.
“Then being able to ask other coaches that have been in the situation how they handle that.”
Glenn added that he didn’t want to make a rash decision but the right choice for his team.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported about an hour prior to Glenn speaking to the media that the Fields-Taylor situation would be a drawn-out process ahead of Week 8.
“Even if Fields does continue to be the starter, his job status is not set in stone,” Rapoport said on NFL Network. “We’re going to be asking question after question about who’s going to be the starting quarterback until or unless this offense can turn this around.”
Obviously, that’s bad news for Fields. The 26-year-old will be looking over his shoulder for the rest of the season whenever he makes a mistake. But it’s also potentially bad news for the Steelers.
Why Jets Benching QB Justin Fields Is Bad for Steelers?
The Steelers will receive a compensatory pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for Fields leaving in free agency last March.
Compensatory draft pick experts projected the Steelers to receive a fourth-rounder for Fields. However, the selection is based on factors such as playing time.
“The Steelers could be harmed by Fields’ benching. They are currently projected to earn a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft thanks to the NFL’s compensatory draft pick formula for departing free agents,” wrote Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders. “Contract value and playing time are the primary components of that formula. So Fields’ benching could drop that pick down from its current expected value.”
Should Fields not play another snap this season, it’s possible, perhaps even likely, the compensatory pick for Fields drops to a sixth-rounder.
If there’s any good news, Fields has already started seven games. He probably only needs to start two more contests to reach half of the Jets’ offensive snaps for 2025.
Fields could possibly do that even without starting. The way the Jets are going, Taylor isn’t going to come in and change things drastically. Glenn could turn back to Fields in relief later this season.
To ensure the maximum compensatory draft compensation, though, the Steelers would prefer Fields remain the Jets starter.
Steelers Having Rough Luck With Potential Compensatory Picks
The Steelers front office can find vindication in the fact many of the free agents who left the team last spring aren’t doing particularly well this season. However, it’s hurting the organization’s chances of higher compensatory selections.
The Giants benching Wilson all but guarantees the Steelers won’t be getting a third-rounder for his departure. The Steelers won’t be maximizing running back Najee Harris on the compensatory pick circuit either. Harris suffered a season-ending injury with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The former Steelers player performing the best at the moment is probably receiver George Pickens. But Pickens isn’t part of the compensatory pick formula because the Steelers traded him.
The Steelers appear to be trying to improve their position throughout the 2026 draft. In all likelihood, that’s in an effort to select a franchise quarterback.
The better Day 2 and 3 selections the Steelers possess, the more likely they will be able to move up in the first-round to take a signal-caller.
The best chance the Steelers may now have to improve their compensatory selections is with the team’s former offensive tackle Dan Moore and cornerback Donte Jackson.
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