With General Manager Omar Khan’s recent comments suggesting Aaron Rodgers could return at quarterback, don’t rule out additional moves. The Pittsburgh Steelers could consider adding talent to the position and shuffling that room, especially if they locate an option they believe could be their long-term signal caller.
If that happens, it could lead to significant changes in the quarterback room.
Trying to locate a solid starting quarterback isn't easy, and it only gets more difficult when you search for a younger option. Everyone in the NFL is looking for the next superstar gunslinger, but few succeed. Pittsburgh would love to find the next version of Sam Darnold, who is coming off a Super Bowl victory after his first season with the Seattle Seahawks following his free-agent signing.
That luck is unlikely to strike.
In a recent article from Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine painted a mock trade scenario where Khan makes a move that he could consider similar to the path of Darnold. Ballentine runs through one suggested trade per team, and the Steelers proposal would undoubtedly create noise, even if it’s not all favorable. Don't rule out the franchise going after another quarterback this offseason, even after Rodgers re-signs.
The Pittsburgh Steelers would be wise to skip past this mock trade and risk getting swindled
Overvaluing a quarterback is something that got the Steelers into their current mess. They overdrafted Kenny Pickett in 2022, and that failure set them back years. The club is struggling to stay relevant. They have shuffled through many quarterbacks since, and there seems to be no end in sight. This mock trade proposal by Ballentine isn't terrible, but it's certainly not ideal.
"If the Steelers can use Herbig to find a potentially long-term answer at quarterback that would be a good use of his breakout season," Ballentin explained. "If the Niners can turn their backup quarterback into the player that leads the charge for their next generation of pass rush, that's a win."
San Francisco would clearly be the winner of this trade scenario.
The 49ers would receive a young and upcoming edge rusher who could explode onto the scene with more opportunities going his way. On the other hand, Pittsburgh would be taking a massive gamble. They would be putting full trust in Mac Jones as their starting quarterback once Rodgers retires. It could put Khan’s job on the line.
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Losing Herbig would be a tough pill to swallow, and throwing in a sixth-round pick going the other way, too, is just an insult to injury. Jones is the perfect example of someone who would benefit from the current trend in football—witnessing something that succeeds and trying to replicate it. Darnold joining the Seahawks worked out perfectly, but that doesn't mean Jones will.
It is unlikely he would see that type of success.
Jones is a former first-round pick, and while his career has fluttered to a backup role, he could have a shot at a starting job. Joining the Steelers in this trade wouldn't make much sense with Rodgers returning. The similarities between Jones and Darnold are clear, but this feels unlikely to succeed. The asking price is too steep. A mid-round pick would be reasonable, but this is overpaying.
Mock Trade Grade for the Pittsburgh Steelers: D