Why trading for Sam Darnold is still an option for Steelers
By Tommy Jaggi
The timing is right
Timing is everything in the NFL. Had Roethlisberger been ready to hang up his cleats a few years ago, maybe the Steelers would have tried to move up to draft someone like Josh Allen or actively pursue one of these quarterbacks in a trade. However, it wasn’t until now that we seriously believed Ben’s time could be coming to an end. Because of this, the timing to trade with the Jets for Darnold just makes sense.
Though you can argue whether or not Darnold will be the answer Pittsburgh is looking for at the quarterback position, it’s hard to argue with the timing if Roethlisberger is indeed done. Instead of rolling with Mason Rudolph in 2021, the Steelers have an opportunity to grab a 23-year-old passer who was the 3rd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft – something they rarely ever have a chance to do.
In addition, many of these other teams that were in the market for a quarterback this offseason (Iike the Colts and Rams) have already made their move to get one or are picking high enough in the 2021 NFL Draft that they will decide to go that direction. If the Steelers end up announcing that Ben won’t return, the timing to bring in Darnold couldn’t be better.