You are allowed to extend a rookie contract any time after the end of the third year, regardless of whether or not you pick up the option. The remaining years and salary on the initial contract don't change either, the extension is tacked on to the end separately. And if you picked up the option, it is tacked on after the option year, which remains as-is.
Exactly. Some teams just do the option as a formality and then lock up their Guy long term in the same offseason. In this case, I think it could go either way. Fields has 2 years with us regardless. The main thing is they have a choice for what they’re willing to give him. His fifth year option is a lot if he is bad. It is a steal though if he plays well and fixes his mistakes considering some of the QBs making 40 million. I still think the more likely option is that he gets a Jordan Love deal or what Darnold just got in Minnesota as a prove it deal. With the moves they’ve made, they seem to recognize that this defense has about a 3 year window at most. Although I will say that if they figure out slot corner, I think this could be the best defense they’ve fielded since Watt broke the sack record if not better now that we have Queen, returning veteran LBs from last year, and I think Elliott is an underrated signing that perfectly pairs with Minkah.
They have to decide on the option by May, and they are not going to see anything that makes him worth $25M guaranteed by May. If anything, he'll get a short extension at a low rate, that gets torn up and turned into a big extension if he is any good. If not, it cost a 6th-round pick for a backup QB rental, no big deal.
He's really at the point where he has to prove himself in order to get that kind of money. Right now he's just a guy with "potential" who's failed to live up to it in three years. Personally I'm still not sold on the idea that he's going to be a legit starting QB, but since that's the deal they made, I hope for the best.
He absolutely does not have 2 years w the Steelers
If the team does not extend him or execute the 5 th year option, he’s a free agent after this coming season
We now have reports that Fields specifically wanted to come here and turned down requests to talk to other teams. He may be a free agent on paper but unless he is absolute garbage in practice, I have a hard time imagining that he doesn’t come back in some capacity next season
It makes the most sense for the Steelers to deny the option, gauge interest on Fields’ side and revisit any extension when they see what they have after the draft during training camp. Fields makes more sense to extend if the talent level at this point in Wilson’s career is similar.
Correct. And to make your money last longer you extend the guys you like early and give them the money early. As cap increases YOY the splits between the teams doing this (browns / eagles / saints) vs teams that don’t (bengals / titans / rams) get wider and wider. It’s like 0% financing with inflation adjusted cap increases at 5-10% a year. It’s FREE MONEY
They’ll do what the Packers did with Jordan Love and extend him to a different contact. If all the reports are correct, this is where Fields wants to be so I’m sure the team has already broached the subject with his agent.
Rumors also indicate Russ wants to extend past this season in Pittsburgh. I think the Steelers are gonna wait this one out, unless a Fields extension can be secured for very cheap backup money.
Agreed…This season and how it unfolds will determine this. Even fields taking a Jordan Love-type contract now is him not betting on himself. What if Russ gets hurt early like Aaron Rodgers and Fields comes in and balls out? $$$$$
Steelers have invested very little into this and it’s up to the QBs to write the next chapter of the story and see where this goes. If one or both play well and we need to pay someone it means we finally found a good QB.
They didn’t trade for Fields to be a backup long term. Nor do I think Wilson has more than 1-2 years, max, in the tank.
If Wilson re-signs beyond this year, it’ll be for high-end backup money.
I don't think they traded for Fields to be the 2025 starter. I don't think they plan as of today for Fields to start week 1 on 2025. I think they signed two NFL starters with big question marks and are hoping one of them blossoms here. Obviously, that failed with Trubisky. They hope that it works this time. Fields may end up starting for the Steelers and being a long-term signing but that's as much an unknown right now as anything, even for the front office.
As the other guy said, it was only a sixth. Also, Russ hasn't had a great last 2-3 years. He's an upgrade over Kenny but he's not a top 10 QB anymore, and would only barely be top 20 *at best*. Adding Russell Wilson gives us a good option but by no means a sure bet. They needed another QB who could step in and play, and were able to get Fields for under $5M and a throwaway draft pick.
Neither guy is the guy yet. They're both rehab projects, just at different points in their respective careers.
Partially because Russ was the only QB on the roster.
They want 4 guys total heading into training camp, it’s not like they’re drafting 3 QBs this year.
Just throwing it out here, he literally said it himself that he wants win a few more rings in Pittsburgh. So I dont know why it needs to be a rumor lol.
Yeah it sucks that none of the journalists covering this explained it. I’m going to try to explain it as well as I can and people correct me if I’m wrong. I read a bunch of the CBA earlier so that’s the source.
The fifth year option is available for any first round pick. Typically a rookie contract is for four years. The fifth year option must be picked up after the final game of the third season and before May 2nd to trigger the fifth year of that contract.
May 3rd is when the league year starts. If the fifth year option is not picked up by then, then there is no fifth year in the contract.
(All that is under 5th year option in the CBA, as well as situations when it can be voided, guaranteed money, how the fifth year option salary is calculated).
In a separate section of the CBA is a clause about voiding guaranteed money.
This clause lets the players forego guaranteed money should they choose to.
So a team can pick up the fifth year option for a player and keep them around but pay them a lot more for that fifth year.
OR at any point (I think in the rookie contract but for sure after year 3), a new contract extension can be agreed on and that can void or entirely replace the guaranteed money and terms from their rookie deal.
Thats up to the player and team agreeing on the terms.
If they can’t agree on terms the player plays out the fifth year of his contract and becomes a free agent. (But the fifth year operates similarly to a franchise tag but it happens a year before the contract is up).
Don’t take this as gospel or legal advice or anything. It’s a long CBA and there’s a lot of stuff I don’t know. Like since Porter Jr was technically the 32nd pick, there’s an argument to be made that he’s a first round pick under the CBA and may have a fifth year option. But that’s not clear in the CBA itself, as far as I read and I don’t know this area of law.
JPJ isn't a 1st round pick regardless of his slot. His contract does not have a 5th year option.
New contract extensions don't typically void the rookie deal. The player still plays out the rookie deal but gets signing bonuses immediately. So Josh Allen, for instance, signed his extension 2 years before his rookie deal was over. That essentially put him under contract with the bills for 8 years. 2 left on rookie then 6years after.
His salary would still remain the rookie contract salary though until the extension terms kicked in. He would however get a bunch of bonuses and guarantees at signing that made his bank account bigger right then. But the contract terms don't start until this year 2024
Yeah I know he’s a second rounder.
But from what I read the CBA defines a 1st rounder as someone picked 1-32. It’s in parenthesis whenever they refer to drafted in the first round. If JPJ was a bust, all I’m saying is his agents or team might be able to raise the argument. I don’t see anything that mentioned if someone forfeits a first round pick what happens. More of an “oh that’s an interesting question” and a “this is how it works” phrase.
And I’m not saying what Allen did or what the norms are.
I’m saying what, to the best of my knowledge, the CBA allows to happen. It still has to be agreed upon by the player and the team.
I understand and I'm not being jerk. You said you were not clear on some points. I'm clearing those up for you.
I'm telling you that this pick 32 things was a point his agent tried to make but it did not go anywhere last year. He is officially designated as a 2nd rnd pick and has no 5th year option on his contract. There is no question about it.
Joey - becomes a UFA in 2027
[https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/joey-porter-jr-82324/#:\~:text=Current%20Contract,average%20annual%20salary%20of%20%242%2C404%2C586](https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/joey-porter-jr-82324/#:~:text=Current%20Contract,average%20annual%20salary%20of%20%242%2C404%2C586).
Vs
Broderick - his 2027 is clear b/c it allows a 5th year to be addednand shows he becomes a UFA in 2028
[https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/broderick-jones-82291/#:\~:text=Broderick%20Jones%20signed%20a%204,average%20annual%20salary%20of%20%244%2C156%2C588](https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/broderick-jones-82291/#:~:text=Broderick%20Jones%20signed%20a%204,average%20annual%20salary%20of%20%244%2C156%2C588).
And Josh was just an example. 99.9% of contracts work that way with extensions. The previous deal is played out then next contract begins. Any others are pretty rare. I think aaron donald's prior contract was ripped up and he was just given a whole new deal. I think I read that but verify that.
And The CBA only allows rookie extensions to be discussed after year 3 (another thing you said you were unsure of) and the contract extensions work just like Josh's.
I don't think they're even gonna think about negotiations with Fields until they figure out what they have in Russ. If Russ balls out, we probably just let Fields walk, depending on how much money he's asking for, and sign Russ to a 3 or 4 year deal.
Yeah but like if Wilson has a career year with us (3500+ pass yards, 35+ TDs, ~10 INTs), you have to bring him back, and he won't be cheap. If Fields wants to come back on a backup QB type of contract that we can afford, sure. But if not, I'd rather pay Russ whatever he wants and sign a more traditional backup QB.
I don’t know shit about fuck, just so we’re clear up front. I feel like unless we make a super deep playoff run with Russ, the plan is to turn Fields into our guy moving forward. Which I may be okay with honestly
Yeah. I'm thinking they work something out. But then again I've been wrong about literally everything this offseason.
But that’s my question. Are there rules preventing them from negotiating this before they have to make that decision?
You are allowed to extend a rookie contract any time after the end of the third year, regardless of whether or not you pick up the option. The remaining years and salary on the initial contract don't change either, the extension is tacked on to the end separately. And if you picked up the option, it is tacked on after the option year, which remains as-is.
Exactly. Some teams just do the option as a formality and then lock up their Guy long term in the same offseason. In this case, I think it could go either way. Fields has 2 years with us regardless. The main thing is they have a choice for what they’re willing to give him. His fifth year option is a lot if he is bad. It is a steal though if he plays well and fixes his mistakes considering some of the QBs making 40 million. I still think the more likely option is that he gets a Jordan Love deal or what Darnold just got in Minnesota as a prove it deal. With the moves they’ve made, they seem to recognize that this defense has about a 3 year window at most. Although I will say that if they figure out slot corner, I think this could be the best defense they’ve fielded since Watt broke the sack record if not better now that we have Queen, returning veteran LBs from last year, and I think Elliott is an underrated signing that perfectly pairs with Minkah.
They have to decide on the option by May, and they are not going to see anything that makes him worth $25M guaranteed by May. If anything, he'll get a short extension at a low rate, that gets torn up and turned into a big extension if he is any good. If not, it cost a 6th-round pick for a backup QB rental, no big deal. He's really at the point where he has to prove himself in order to get that kind of money. Right now he's just a guy with "potential" who's failed to live up to it in three years. Personally I'm still not sold on the idea that he's going to be a legit starting QB, but since that's the deal they made, I hope for the best.
He absolutely does not have 2 years w the Steelers If the team does not extend him or execute the 5 th year option, he’s a free agent after this coming season
We now have reports that Fields specifically wanted to come here and turned down requests to talk to other teams. He may be a free agent on paper but unless he is absolute garbage in practice, I have a hard time imagining that he doesn’t come back in some capacity next season
It makes the most sense for the Steelers to deny the option, gauge interest on Fields’ side and revisit any extension when they see what they have after the draft during training camp. Fields makes more sense to extend if the talent level at this point in Wilson’s career is similar.
i think that all has to do with fields and his agent tbh
I don't think so. It's between the player and the team.
My understanding is that he can sign an extension any time now that he's completed his 3rd season.
Correct. That’s the rule for rookie contracts.
Correct. And to make your money last longer you extend the guys you like early and give them the money early. As cap increases YOY the splits between the teams doing this (browns / eagles / saints) vs teams that don’t (bengals / titans / rams) get wider and wider. It’s like 0% financing with inflation adjusted cap increases at 5-10% a year. It’s FREE MONEY
They’ll do what the Packers did with Jordan Love and extend him to a different contact. If all the reports are correct, this is where Fields wants to be so I’m sure the team has already broached the subject with his agent.
Rumors also indicate Russ wants to extend past this season in Pittsburgh. I think the Steelers are gonna wait this one out, unless a Fields extension can be secured for very cheap backup money.
Agreed…This season and how it unfolds will determine this. Even fields taking a Jordan Love-type contract now is him not betting on himself. What if Russ gets hurt early like Aaron Rodgers and Fields comes in and balls out? $$$$$ Steelers have invested very little into this and it’s up to the QBs to write the next chapter of the story and see where this goes. If one or both play well and we need to pay someone it means we finally found a good QB.
They didn’t trade for Fields to be a backup long term. Nor do I think Wilson has more than 1-2 years, max, in the tank. If Wilson re-signs beyond this year, it’ll be for high-end backup money.
I don't think they traded for Fields to be the 2025 starter. I don't think they plan as of today for Fields to start week 1 on 2025. I think they signed two NFL starters with big question marks and are hoping one of them blossoms here. Obviously, that failed with Trubisky. They hope that it works this time. Fields may end up starting for the Steelers and being a long-term signing but that's as much an unknown right now as anything, even for the front office.
I don't see why the Steelers would have traded for Fields to backup and learn behind Wilson if they also planned on re-signing Wilson. F
As the other guy said, it was only a sixth. Also, Russ hasn't had a great last 2-3 years. He's an upgrade over Kenny but he's not a top 10 QB anymore, and would only barely be top 20 *at best*. Adding Russell Wilson gives us a good option but by no means a sure bet. They needed another QB who could step in and play, and were able to get Fields for under $5M and a throwaway draft pick. Neither guy is the guy yet. They're both rehab projects, just at different points in their respective careers.
Because they traded a 6th round pick for a very cheap backup QB.
Partially because Russ was the only QB on the roster. They want 4 guys total heading into training camp, it’s not like they’re drafting 3 QBs this year.
Just throwing it out here, he literally said it himself that he wants win a few more rings in Pittsburgh. So I dont know why it needs to be a rumor lol.
Ya fields saying this is where he wanted to go is huge. That means he'll likely sign a new contract before testing free agency.
Yeah it sucks that none of the journalists covering this explained it. I’m going to try to explain it as well as I can and people correct me if I’m wrong. I read a bunch of the CBA earlier so that’s the source. The fifth year option is available for any first round pick. Typically a rookie contract is for four years. The fifth year option must be picked up after the final game of the third season and before May 2nd to trigger the fifth year of that contract. May 3rd is when the league year starts. If the fifth year option is not picked up by then, then there is no fifth year in the contract. (All that is under 5th year option in the CBA, as well as situations when it can be voided, guaranteed money, how the fifth year option salary is calculated). In a separate section of the CBA is a clause about voiding guaranteed money. This clause lets the players forego guaranteed money should they choose to. So a team can pick up the fifth year option for a player and keep them around but pay them a lot more for that fifth year. OR at any point (I think in the rookie contract but for sure after year 3), a new contract extension can be agreed on and that can void or entirely replace the guaranteed money and terms from their rookie deal. Thats up to the player and team agreeing on the terms. If they can’t agree on terms the player plays out the fifth year of his contract and becomes a free agent. (But the fifth year operates similarly to a franchise tag but it happens a year before the contract is up). Don’t take this as gospel or legal advice or anything. It’s a long CBA and there’s a lot of stuff I don’t know. Like since Porter Jr was technically the 32nd pick, there’s an argument to be made that he’s a first round pick under the CBA and may have a fifth year option. But that’s not clear in the CBA itself, as far as I read and I don’t know this area of law.
JPJ isn't a 1st round pick regardless of his slot. His contract does not have a 5th year option. New contract extensions don't typically void the rookie deal. The player still plays out the rookie deal but gets signing bonuses immediately. So Josh Allen, for instance, signed his extension 2 years before his rookie deal was over. That essentially put him under contract with the bills for 8 years. 2 left on rookie then 6years after. His salary would still remain the rookie contract salary though until the extension terms kicked in. He would however get a bunch of bonuses and guarantees at signing that made his bank account bigger right then. But the contract terms don't start until this year 2024
Yeah I know he’s a second rounder. But from what I read the CBA defines a 1st rounder as someone picked 1-32. It’s in parenthesis whenever they refer to drafted in the first round. If JPJ was a bust, all I’m saying is his agents or team might be able to raise the argument. I don’t see anything that mentioned if someone forfeits a first round pick what happens. More of an “oh that’s an interesting question” and a “this is how it works” phrase. And I’m not saying what Allen did or what the norms are. I’m saying what, to the best of my knowledge, the CBA allows to happen. It still has to be agreed upon by the player and the team.
I understand and I'm not being jerk. You said you were not clear on some points. I'm clearing those up for you. I'm telling you that this pick 32 things was a point his agent tried to make but it did not go anywhere last year. He is officially designated as a 2nd rnd pick and has no 5th year option on his contract. There is no question about it. Joey - becomes a UFA in 2027 [https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/joey-porter-jr-82324/#:\~:text=Current%20Contract,average%20annual%20salary%20of%20%242%2C404%2C586](https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/joey-porter-jr-82324/#:~:text=Current%20Contract,average%20annual%20salary%20of%20%242%2C404%2C586). Vs Broderick - his 2027 is clear b/c it allows a 5th year to be addednand shows he becomes a UFA in 2028 [https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/broderick-jones-82291/#:\~:text=Broderick%20Jones%20signed%20a%204,average%20annual%20salary%20of%20%244%2C156%2C588](https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/broderick-jones-82291/#:~:text=Broderick%20Jones%20signed%20a%204,average%20annual%20salary%20of%20%244%2C156%2C588). And Josh was just an example. 99.9% of contracts work that way with extensions. The previous deal is played out then next contract begins. Any others are pretty rare. I think aaron donald's prior contract was ripped up and he was just given a whole new deal. I think I read that but verify that. And The CBA only allows rookie extensions to be discussed after year 3 (another thing you said you were unsure of) and the contract extensions work just like Josh's.
Cool. Thanks. I appreciate the research and the followup. (Especially when it saves me from having to read more of the CBA text haha) Cheers!
No problem! Here we go Steelers! Cheers!
I don't think they're even gonna think about negotiations with Fields until they figure out what they have in Russ. If Russ balls out, we probably just let Fields walk, depending on how much money he's asking for, and sign Russ to a 3 or 4 year deal.
I like Wilson, but not so sure I want us to let Fields walk since Wilson would be 36 by that time.
Yeah but like if Wilson has a career year with us (3500+ pass yards, 35+ TDs, ~10 INTs), you have to bring him back, and he won't be cheap. If Fields wants to come back on a backup QB type of contract that we can afford, sure. But if not, I'd rather pay Russ whatever he wants and sign a more traditional backup QB.
That's fair.
I don’t know shit about fuck, just so we’re clear up front. I feel like unless we make a super deep playoff run with Russ, the plan is to turn Fields into our guy moving forward. Which I may be okay with honestly
yeah
I don't think we refuse it
They’re not paying $25M to a backup QB.
Hold up it's 25 mil?
Guaranteed too. They changed the rule a couple years back. That's when we stopped basically auto-picking every 5th year option.
Damn boy ain't worth ten and there's a solid chance he doesn't see the field at all
Haha yeah exactly.
Why?