Justin Fields is named the No. 1 free agent QB for 2025

It’s never too early to think about next season. Pro Football Focus has compiled a preliminary list of the top 50 free agents for March 2025. And the top quarterback on their list lives in Pittsburgh. Justin Fields is the No. 1 quarterback heading into free agency and was ranked 12th overall on PFF’s list. He was one of two Steelers to appear there, along with OG James Daniels at No. 40.

With Fields, the site recognizes that his value as a quarterback gives him a boost in their ratings.

“Are there better players further down this list than Fields? Probably. However, the value of the quarterback position makes him a fringe top-10 free agent at this point. His PFF passing grade of 73.0 ranks him 11th in the league this season, putting him on pace for a career-best in this category.”

That’s why quarterbacks get paid a lot of money. After attracting little interest from players this offseason, Fields is poised to have a much more active market if he continues his play. His production didn’t look spectacular, but he’s more precise and less error-prone than in Chicago. Fields’ completion percentage is just 6 points, his interception rate has dropped to under 1 percent and his sack rate is in single digits for the first time in his career.

As PFF notes, they also rate him higher than ever. Still, there are doubts about his ability to retain the starting spot, and it appears to be an open question as to who will start in Week 7 against the New York Jets.

If Fields keeps his job and continues to play well, keeping him out of free agency will be Pittsburgh’s top priority. That will have its price. It’s difficult to set even a standard price in the middle of a season, but a minimum price of $30 million per year is a good start. That would give him a similar contract to Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield before 2024, and Fields would likely look to get more.

He’s just one of two quarterbacks on the list, one spot ahead of the Minnesota Vikings’ Sam Darnold, who is having a resurgent season. A lack of free agency options combined with a questionable draft class would make Fields all the more valuable — and all the more expensive.

Daniels would have been higher on this list had he not suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 4 that ended his season. Before the injury, he was expected to get big money this offseason and not be considered for the Steelers. Now his market value and future are uncertain, although this actually increases the chances of him returning to Pittsburgh.

Miami Dolphins FS Jevon Holland is the No. 1 player on PFF’s list, a name not well known in the national media but one of the safest players in the league. Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins and Kansas City Chiefs OG Trey Smith round out the podium.

Of course, many of these names could be left off the list based on the players’ performance, health, and signings or franchise tags. Still, it’s a useful guide and starting point for assessing where and who the Steelers might target.