Don't look now, but the free-agent quarterback market is running dry. And we're not talking about a little bit dry; this is like 'being stranded in the middle of the Sahara Desert' dry, On the second day of the NFL's negotiation period before the official start of free agency, the Steelers still don't have an answer at quarterback.
This isn't because there hasn't been any action so far. On the first day that players and teams were legally allowed to come to terms on contracts, Sam Darnold agreed to a deal with the Seahawks and Justin Fields will be departing from the Steelers to join the New York.
Now the quarterback pool has dwindled even further.
On Tuesday, former New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones agreed to terms with the Indianapolis Colts. This leaves just two somewhat respectable starting quarterbacks on the market: Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. The former has been linked to Pittsburgh (at a hefty price tag) and the latter... well, I don't even want to discuss it.
That's it. Two. There aren't anymore. But what if both of those quarterbacks get signed by other teams?
The Pittsburgh Steelers could miss out on Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson in free agency
While I'm not thrilled about the idea of signing Rodgers (and I can't stand the thought of another season with Wilson), these two veteran signal-callers are the clear top options at the position in free agency. However, there's a world in which the Pittsburgh Steelers miss out on both.
Now that Daniel Jones won't be returning to Minnesota, the Vikings could use a bridge quarterback as 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy works his way back from a serious knee injury. McCarthy already redshirted one year, but another could be necessary for him to get back on track health-wise and get up to speed with his team.
If the Vikings operate with this mentality, they could go after a seasoned veteran like Rodgers. After two straight successful quarterback seasons with Kirk Cousins in 2023 and Sam Darnold in 2024, head coach Kevin O'Connell knows Rodgers would be good enough for his team to compete in the playoffs, and Minnesota has shown they aren't afraid to spend money.
Meanwhile, the Giants have been in discussions with Russell Wilson to act as a bridge quarterback if New York selects a QB in the 2025 NFL Draft.
If both Rodgers and Wilson sign elsewhere, the remaining quarterback options are worse than you could imagine.
The best-of-the-rest includes a sad list of players like Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett, Drew Lock, Joe Flacco, Trey Lance, Mason Rudolph, Cooper Rush, Kyle Allen, Kyle Trask, Easton Stick, and Mac Jones. None of these quarterbacks would be good enough for the Pittsburgh Steelers to compete next offseason, and being forced to watch any of them for a 17-game season would be an unusual form of torture.
If worse comes to worst, the Steelers may be forced to trade for a polarizing quarterback who is falling out of favor or who their current team is looking to move. Someone like Will Levis or Anthony Richardson—who has been mentioned as a trade candidate—would be better than the backwash of hodgepodge QBs in free agency.
Joe Milton's name has also been linked in trade rumors as the Patriots could be willing to move on for draft compensation. Milton has a remarkable blend of size, arm strength, and athletic traits. He would be worth a stab over anyone on the market if Rodgers and Wilson were gone.
Believe it or not, there's a nightmare scenario where the Pittsburgh Steelers don't even end up with a respectable starting quarterback in 2025. Let's hope this doesn't come to fruition.