NFL free agency, in general, is a crapshoot. There are plenty of cases where guys coming off one or more of the best years of their career sign mega-deals just to flame out with their new -or current- team. Then there's the opposite, where guys sign modest one-year prove-it deals that result in a career-best year and a subsequent payday the following offseason.

As with just about everything in life, there's an equilibrium to free agency and it comes in the form of the guys who are kind of the in the middle of the above spectrum: value players.

For the quarterback market, value is always tough to gauge, simply because the position is so expensive, but there's one clear name that stands above them all, this year: Justin Fields.

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Justin Fields is the only free agent QB that provides starter potential at a fraction of the typical cost

The core of value is cost, correct? Well, in terms of affordability, Fields shouldn't even get close to putting any kind of strain on a team's spending prowess. Spotrac's current market value has him at $6.4 million per year, while NFL contract analysts Josh Queipo and Kyle DeDiminicantanio have Fields at $8.5 million per year.

Fields is still a dynamic player that provides starter potential and at $6.4-$8.5 million per year, that's an absolute bargain. Whether the deal is one year, two years, or whatever, it's a major win if a team were to bring him on and he ends up starting and playing well.

And even at a backup price, that isn't bad. Hell, Gardner Minshew signed a deal averaging $12.5 million per season during the 2024 offseason and Fields is definitely a better quarterback than Minshew.

The other two starters, Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson, will demand contracts in the tens of millions of dollars, which obviously only provides value if they play really well. Fields could be a capable backup at his aforementioned projection and it wouldn't hurt a team's financial outlook.

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Beyond cost, Fields is still extremely young and is a dynamic talent

So let's get to the part that really matters and that's what the soon-to-be fifth-year player can do on the football field.

Sure, Fields is average at best as a passer. But he can still throw the deep ball and he can make some pretty impressive throws on the move. The key with Fields' game remains in his legs and ability to make plays when things break down around him. The dude is still as electric as anyone when he takes off and defenses have to respect that aspect when they go up against him. 

There were plenty of times in 2024 where Fields converted 3rd-and-long-type situations solely because of his abilities. Those who closely watched the team also believe his performances against the Chargers and Colts were two of the best of his career. Meaning, there is still room to grow and he's figuring out ways to get better.

Most importantly, he produced just two turnovers in six games as the Steelers' starting QB and his turnover-worthy play rate of 2.8% tied for 13th-lowest of the 32 qualifying QBs with at least 87 dropbacks from Weeks 1-6 in 2024. 

With the right infrastructure around him, Fields has the talent to provide effective quarterback play over the course of a season. He could go to any of the QB-needy teams and immediately fill the starting void, which is something you can't say any of the top rookie QBs in this draft class. 

Fields' potential, along with his projected price tag, should garner plenty of interest from teams in free agency and if he gets set up with the right position, then he'll have a shot to surprise a lot of people in 2025.

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Prediction

Things are definitely up in the air when it comes to Fields staying or leaving Pittsburgh. And while he's likely to command interest from several directions, I think he ultimately stays with the Steelers. Honestly, that could give him a little bit of a pay bump that supersedes his projected market value. That would not only help Fields' pockets, but it would signal the Steelers have faith in him as their guy for the 2025 season and maybe even beyond.

"I want to be here," Fields told the Tribune-Review near season's end. "I'm kind of tired of learning a new offense every year [and] this will be my third in four years. Of course, I'd love to be back, but that's all up to God at the end of the day. I'll be where God wants me to be."

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