The Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback-wide receiver conundrum. In 2024, Omar Khan's efforts to add receiver talent fell short and Pittsburgh didn't have a servicable option to turn to in the passing game outside of George Pickens. Their quarterback situation was just as poor by the end of the season as Russell Wilson crumbled down the stretch.
Now we are entering uncharted territory.
The only quarterback on the Steelers' roster is Skylar Thompson (who's proven to be a scout-team QB at best), while Pittsburgh still doesn't have a proven wide receiver on their team outside of Pickens heading into the 2025 offseason.
The Steelers could potentially solve both problems in one fell swoop (though this proposal will ruffle some feathers within the fanbase).
On Tuesday, the New York Jets officially released Davante Adams ahead of the new league year. Adams, a three-time First-Team All-Pro player made his way to the Jets before the trade deadline last season, but thanks to a substantial cap number, his time in New York comes to an abrupt end.
Meanwhile, the Jets plan to move on from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Both Rodgers and Adams have expressed a desire to play with each other, and the Steelers are one of the few teams in the NFL that make sense for a packaged deal that would add both players to the roster.
Why the Pittsburgh Steelers could land departing NY Jets Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams
Let's start with the teams that need quarterbacks. The Tennesse Titans could use a signal-caller, but they are unlikely to go the aging veteran route. The Giants are expected to trade up in the NFL Draft with their sights set on Cam Ward (though signing Rodgers as a stop-gap starter isn't out of the question).
Meanwhile, the Raiders need a quarterback, but Shedeur Sanders is in play with the 6th pick in the draft, and the Saints will need a QB if they move on from Derek Carr, but new head coach Kellen Moore will want to bring in someone who fits the direction of the team. And of course, the Browns will have to do something at quarterback this year with Deshaun Watson dealing with an Achilles injury and on the way out.
But we can't just look at teams with quarterback needs; we need to look at franchises who have enough salary cap space to stomach the blow of signing both Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams.
This limits the pool. Six of the seven top teams in terms of salary cap space are the Patriots, Cardinals, Bears, Chargers, Commanders, and Vikings. Each of these teams already has quarterbacks (and the Vikings could choose between Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy). The Raiders are second on the list of salary cap space, but will Las Vegas want a reunion with Adams after trading him for pennies on the dollar last season?
The Pittsburgh Steelers are next on the list of salary cap space with roughly $60 million to work with, per Over the Cap. Below them are the Jets (who will eat dead money to get rid of Adams and Rodgers), the Rams (who reworked Matthew Stafford's contract), and the Lions (who have quarterback Jared Goff under contract through 2028).
Of all the teams on the list, the Steelers make the most sense as the landing spot for Rodgers and Adams in free agency. Not only does Pittsburgh have substantial needs for quarterbacks and wide receivers, but they also have the salary cap space to make it happen with money to spare.
Whether the Pittsburgh Steelers should pursue Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams is a different question entirely, but on paper, a two-for-one free agency special makes sense.