Don't go hitting the panic button yet. Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers dropped a gut-wrenching game to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football, but this is still an 8-3 football team in a prime position to land a playoff spot this year.
Fans will look at Pittsburgh's struggles in Week 12 and demand this offense finds answers. Russell Wilson's crew went seven consecutive quarters -- from the Ravens win in Week 11 to the Browns loss on TNF -- without scoring a touchdown. Thankfully that streak was finally snapped in the fourth quarter against Cleveland.
Still, the offensive output is a bit concerning. Despite Wilson putting up excellent box score numbers in terms of completion percentage and yards per attempt, this team has had trouble converting in the red zone since he took over. The Steelers managed a mere three points in the first half against the Browns and finished with just 19 points in the loss.
Recently, the New York Giants shockingly released veteran quarterback Daniel Jones. The 6th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft signed a four-year, $160 million contract with the Giants during the 2023 offseason, but with the team struggling, things weren't working out.
Giants release QB Daniel Jones. pic.twitter.com/yUIpkCtpCv
— NFL (@NFL) November 22, 2024
Now a well-known, 6'5'' quarterback in the prime of his NFL career is back on the market... but I'd urge you to not even entertain the thought of him coming to Pittsburgh.
Steelers don't need (and shouldn't want) Daniel Jones
Even before he was drafted in 2019, I was never a believer in Daniel Jones' tape. His past six years in the NFL have only confirmed my pre-draft suspicions. During his tenure in New York, Jones didn't make nearly enough big plays to make up for his questionable decisions and unnecessary sacks he took.
Since his promising rookie season that included 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, Jones never topped more than 15 touchdown passes in a season. Since 2023, the polarizing QB has combined for 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 16 games.
This certainly isn't an option the Steelers would entertain in 2024 with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields under contract. But next offseason could be a different story.
Some would point to the sudden success of a player like Sam Darnold as to why you shouldn't give up on the 27-year-old Jones. Darnold's career path was even worse than Jones' before having a massive breakout season with the Vikings in 2024. Likewise, Geno Smith did something similar later in his career with the Seahawks.
However, these success stories are few and far between. The Steelers can't afford to let the fate of their future rest in the hands of a quarterback who has fallen flat in big moments time after time.
Perhaps Jones ends up working out for some desperate organization and the former first-round QB revitalizes his NFL career. Either way, this is a move the Steelers should avoid. Pittsburgh has dealt with years of mediocrity at quarterback since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger and they can't afford to find themselves in QB limbo yet again with Daniel Jones.