5 quarterbacks Pittsburgh Steelers could trade for in 2022
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely be in need of a quarterback in 2022 and they will have money to spare. Here are five passers they could trade for.
This looks like it could be it for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger is entering his 18th season in the NFL, and he hasn’t exactly aged as well as some of the other veteran quarterbacks from his generation. Because of the way his contract is structured and what we saw from him late in the season last year, 2021 is likely to be Ben’s final season in the NFL.
While some are high on Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins, I see neither as the heir apparent to Roethlisberger. Only Rudolph remains under contract beyond the 2021 season, and his cap number suggests he’s just a backup moving forward.
For the first time in forever, the Steelers will have money to work with in 2022. As of now, they are projected to have the second-most effective cap space in the NFL next season with just over $71 million, according to Over the Cap. This money couldn’t come at a better time, as a team that may still want to compete could trade for a quality veteran. Here are five trade options they could explore in 2022:
Aaron Rodgers
This one seems far-fetched. Despite Aaron Rodgers’s obvious frustration with the organization, somehow the two sides always manage to hash things out enough for him to play each year. However, I would not be surprised if that relationship soon comes to an end.
Rodgers and head coach Matt LaFleur apparently have a hard time getting along, and the team drafted Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. If LaFleur elects to go with the young quarterback he drafted, Green Bay could be saying goodbye to the legendary Aaron Rodgers.
Trading for the future Hall of Fame quarterback wouldn’t come cheap, and the Steelers will have to give up multiple high draft picks for the aging passer. However, Rodgers is coming off one of the best seasons in NFL history, and the Steelers may not want to waste the best years of players like T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Rodgers would immediately make the Steelers Super Bowl contenders in 2022 if this is a trade that is on the table.