Steelers will pass on a quarterback in the draft
Despite many fans’ better wishes, I think it’s becoming increasingly likely that the Steelers elect to pass on a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft for several reasons. For starters, Pittsburgh currently added depth to the position by signing 2019 first-round pick, Dwayne Haskins – who was recently cut by Washington. Haskins was added to a reserve/futures contract, so there is very little risk here, but Pittsburgh now has three quarterbacks under contract for the upcoming season, and Mason Rudolph isn’t going anywhere.
While Ben’s decision whether or not to retire this offseason could obviously impact things, I still don’t think the Steelers are guaranteed to grab a signal-caller in the draft even if Roethlisberger calls it quits. Though this is a very good quarterback class, it’s entirely possible that four passers are drafted inside the top ten picks this year, and Pittsburgh may not be willing to give up the capital to move up that high.
At this point, Alabama’s Mac Jones seems like the best quarterback option who could realistically fall to the Steelers, but he doesn’t check all of the boxes Pittsburgh typically looks for at the position, and they are likely to use that capital to bolster their roster for one last run at a Super Bowl before a total rebuild takes place.