Why trading for Sam Darnold is still an option for Steelers
By Tommy Jaggi
Steelers and Darnold are a good match
Though we would like to believe that the Steelers would consider many of these smaller-stature quarterback prospects to come into the league in recent years, the fact of the matter is that there are certain things Pittsburgh looks for in a quarterback, and size is one of them.
The fact that they were willing to come out and say they had a first-round grade on Mason Rudolph in 2018 almost confirms this (which clearly proved to be an incorrect assessment, by the way). One of the things that has drawn the Steelers to quarterbacks like Roethlisberger and Rudolph is their prototype size for the position. Both passers stand at about 6’5” and weighed at least 235 pounds entering their respective NFL Drafts.
Darnold isn’t quite to the same level. He’s a shade under 6’4” and weighs 221 pounds, but this meets the threshold they look for in passer (Josh Dobbs and Landry Jones were both very similar in stature). However, Darnold has a good skill set and a big arm that can cut through the swirling winds in Pittsburgh. If Ben leaves, Sam Darnold no doubt has the desired tools for the Steelers to feel comfortable enough to take a chance on via trade.