The New Orleans Saints got hit with some tough news on April 11: starting quarterback Derek Carr may be facing a potentially serious shoulder injury that could put his upcoming season in jeopardy. That’s not just bad news for the Saints — it could also spell trouble for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Lately, there’s been growing buzz about Pittsburgh having serious interest in drafting a quarterback in the first round. But now, with the Saints possibly entering the QB market, they could end up playing spoiler to the Steelers' draft plans.
The two quarterbacks who have been most commonly linked to the Steelers are Jaxson Dart and, more recently, Shedeur Sanders. But the Saints, who hold the 9th overall pick in the upcoming draft, could throw a wrench into Pittsburgh’s plans.
Pittsburgh Steelers could face stiff competition from the New Orleans for Shedeur Sanders' services
New Orleans is in a strange situation. They restructured Derek Carr’s contract this offseason to lower his 2024 cap hit, but that move balloons his 2025 cap number to a massive $69.2 million. It’s going to be very difficult for the Saints to move on from that contract without taking a major financial hit.
To add another layer of complexity, their backup quarterback, Spencer Rattler, is reportedly viewed highly within the organization. That gives them some internal options — but with a top-10 pick, they’re in prime position to draft a potential franchise quarterback.
The problem is, their roster has significant holes, and they’re likely to be bad enough next year to be picking in the top 10 again. So the question becomes: do they use this year’s pick on a QB, or load up on talent and wait for a better opportunity next year?
If they do decide to go quarterback, Shedeur Sanders is the name most commonly tied to them — and that’s potentially a big blow to the Steelers. Sanders is reportedly Pittsburgh’s top quarterback target in this draft class, and if he comes off the board at No. 9, the Steelers may be left without a QB they truly believe in.
The one thing Pittsburgh absolutely can’t afford to do is trade the farm to move up for a quarterback in what many consider a weak class. The smart move would be to stay put or even trade back, let Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph handle the 2025 season, and keep their draft capital intact for a much stronger quarterback class in 2026.
Sometimes the best play is patience — and for the Steelers, that might be the only play that makes real long-term sense.