Justin Fields reportedly wanted to play for the Vikings in 2024

The Minnesota Vikings are searching for their quarterback of the future and are expected to look to the 2024 NFL Draft in the hope of finding a franchise signal-caller to hold down the position for many years to come.

Signing Sam Darnold provides some experience at the position and will allow a young quarterback to have time to acclimate to the speed of the NFL game, but one recently traded Chicago Bears first-round pick was hoping the purple and gold would be one of the teams that acquired him this offseason.

Justin Fields wound up being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers where he will act as the backup to Russell Wilson. However, a recent report showed that the Vikings were also a team he would have liked to have played for.

Justin Fields reportedly had interest in playing for the Minnesota Vikings

Recently, an article by ESPN staff writer Brooke Pryor discussed the transformation of the Steelers' offense, particularly their quarterbacks' room, and discussed their additions of Wilson and Fields.

In that piece, Pryor spoke about how the Bears are expected to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the #1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and had interest in moving Fields, who was entering the final year of his rookie contract in Chicago.

Four destinations were listed as locations that Fields had on his radar: the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Considering the massive contract Atlanta worked out with Kirk Cousins for his services, that was no longer a realistic option.

Even though the Steelers already got Russell Wilson, they shipped a conditional sixth-round draft pick to Chicago for the 25-year-old quarterback and could potentially see him as a future starter once Wilson has moved on.

Many fans and experts are divided on Fields' potential. He obviously has excellent mobility, but his skill as a passer has been brought into question on a few occasions. Time behind Wilson in Pittsburgh could help him in that department.

The thought of Justin Fields as the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings is interesting. It could have been fun to see a Justin-to-Justin connection in purple and gold jerseys but that isn't what was in the cards for the former Bears' passer.

More Vikings News and Analysis