GOOD NEWS : GUESS WHO THE STEELER ARE BRINGING BACK……….

The Steelers could completely change Justin Fields’ role for the 2024 season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have made two of the biggest free agent acquisitions in the NFL. They started by signing free agent Russell Wilson, whose two-year stint with the Denver Broncos was unsuccessful. He was benched for the 2023 season, implying he will play for another team in 2024.

Following the Wilson deal, Steelers general manager Omar Khan traded for former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. The deal was stunning from the Steelers’ perspective. It also claimed that the Bears were committed to drafting USC’s Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Bears could have kept Fields around to coach Williams, but they instead traded him to the Steelers. Pittsburgh can now have a dual quarterback situation, like the New Orleans Saints do with Derek Carr and Taysom Hill. Fields may also serve as insurance in the event that Wilson sustains an injury.

Having two strong quarterbacks in Wilson and Fields is prudent, but it appears that Fields’ job may be drastically altered for the 2024 season. Instead of merely being a quarterback, the team might test him as a returner.

Steelers running back Jaylen Warren was a guest on Cam Heyward’s NotJustFootball Podcast, and he mentioned that Fields may be used as a punt and kick returner. Warren stated, “Our special teams coordinator was talking about Justin Fields being back there.”

Steelers GM Addresses Rumor That Pittsburgh is Targeting 49ers’ Star ReceiverWarren may have spoken out of turn, but it would be interesting to see Fields in a returner role, especially given the new return regulations.

The NFL Rules Committee got together in March and approved a new rule that essentially adopts the way kickoff returns are enacted in the XFL. The new system and rules are meant to encourage faster play and dramatically lessen injuries during returns.

According to the new rule, the kicking team’s kicker will line up on his own 35-yard line, while ten kicking team players will line up on the receiving team’s 40-yard line. To defend the kicking team’s players, the receiving team may line up a minimum of nine men anywhere between their own 30 and 35-yard lines.

According to the new rule, the kicker for the kicking team will line up on his own 35-yard line, while 10 men from the kicking team will line up on the receiving team’s 40-yard line. To defend the kicking team’s players, the receiving team will be able to field a minimum of nine men anywhere between their own 30- and 35-yard lines.

If the ball lands in the “landing zone” – between the receiving team’s 20-yard and goal lines — it must be retrieved. Should the ball bounce from the landing zone into the end zone, it can be returned or downed and placed at the 20-yard line of the receiving team. If the ball lands in the end zone through the air, it can be returned or downed to begin at the 30-yard line. Also, if the kicking team kicks it out of bounds, it will start from the 40-yard line.

The new rule set prohibits fair catches, focusing on training kickers to land the ball in the landing zone and finding returners with quick bursts of speed to ensure a good starting field position. Fields is a suitable candidate for this role due to his quickness.

Fields has 2,220 rushing yards in his first three seasons, which is an impressive figure for a quarterback. While his potential injury on a kickoff return is something to consider, his use in this manner is unsurprising.

The aforementioned Hill from the Saints fills a similar job. He throws passes, snaps in the wildcat formation, and can play wide receiver or tight end for Carr. Fields might not line up as a receiver, but his ability to rush might make him the perfect option to take advantage of a new NFL kickoff regulation.