Drafting a QB might be the most likely option
As much as some fans would love to be able to stay in ‘win now’ mode, drafting a replacement for Ben Roethlisberger might be the most likely option for this team. While it might be true that Mike Tomlin doesn’t want to start fresh, the Steelers could soon find that the upside of their options in the NFL Draft outweighs the mediocrity of the quarterbacks on the market.
This doesn’t mean that Pittsburgh wouldn’t sign a free agent quarterback in addition to drafting one, but the rookie will be the replacement plan for Ben Roethlisberger. This year’s NFL Draft includes Three options that could be very high on Pittsburgh’s radar: Ole Miss QB Matt Corral, Pitt QB Kenny Pickett, and UNC QB Sam Howell.
Of the three, Howell is the most likely to be available when the Steelers could be on the clock, and the team doesn’t own a lot of draft capital in 2022 to shoot to the top of the draft. If all three are gone before Pittsburgh’s pick, Liberty quarterback Malik Willis could be an option as early as the first round.
Of course, there’s always a chance that Pittsburgh could elect to go with a stop-gap passer and put all their chips in the 2023 NFL Draft with some high-profile names like Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud.
We don’t know exactly how Pittsburgh will proceed when Ben Roethlisberger is finished after the 2021 season, but one thing is for certain: this team will be exploring every option possible to find a player they believe can be their next franchise quarterback.