The Pittsburgh Steelers continue their offseason improvements, but the question remains as to who will be the starting quarterback next year. Aaron Rodgers remains in the front of the pack, yet he hasn’t even committed to playing football in 2026.
The Steelers need to pivot, and they should do so by taking the last reclamation project left in free agency in Zach Wilson.
While I am skeptical of Wilson, beggars can’t be choosers in the NFL. Even if Rodgers decides he wants to play one more year, what he offers you isn’t enough to justify waiting for him to make a decision.
The team needs to go in a different direction, and Wilson is the only free agent option with any sort of upside.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to amend their quarterback plan with Zach Wilson
The former Jet has failed to find his footing in the league. While gifted with a great physical toolbelt, Wilson struggles with reading a defense and making decisions with the ball. At 26 years old, I’m not sure those issues can get better.
That said, you brought Mike McCarthy in for this exact reason. He touts himself as a quarterback whisperer, so give him the guy with all the traits and see what he can do.
Kirk Cousins, Joe Flacco, and Jimmy Garoppolo won’t offer you the potential that Wilson has (even if their floor is considerably higher). You aren’t Super Bowl-bound with any of these options (Rodgers included), so you might as well shoot for the stars.
It feels desperate to wait around for Rodgers for a second consecutive season. It isn’t like he is a surefire player in his prime. We saw the ceiling of what he provides you. If he can’t already commit to playing another season, you need to go in a different direction.
Adding Wilson and a rookie in the draft gives you four wildcards to use in 2026. The aforementioned Wilson can be thrown into the starting competition (for cheap). Will Howard can get his shot to live up to the hype. A mid-round rookie can be given a long look. Meanwhile, Mason Rudolph is a steady veteran emergency option.
Do you find your future franchise quarterback in that group? Probably not. But you can turn to the 2027 draft in that case after a bad season.
However, if one of those options shows something, then you have a player to build around for the future. You don’t get that with Rodgers.
While Wilson wasn’t my favorite redemption quarterback this offseason, he is the last one remaining on the cheap. With Rodgers still playing this “will he, won’t he” game, the Steelers need to turn in a different direction.