The beginning of free agency hasn’t gone as the Steelers have hoped for. After making a major addition in the form of DK Metcalf, it seemed like the remaining dominos were ready to fall. Quarterback was the big question mark, and the hope was for a capable option there.
Instead, this team saw their options dissipate almost instantly. The talk of the offseason was that the team was going to pursue Justin Fields as their guy. He inked a deal with the Jets. Sam Darnold also made a late push for Pittsburgh. He joined the Seahawks instead.
The Steelers' QB options have quickly turned sour. So what options are left?
The frontrunner has to be Russell Wilson, given his experience last year as the starter. Aaron Rodgers has also been tossed around as an option, as unappealing as that is. After that, the options get even worse, and frankly, I’m not sure this team will have a great passer next year.
While the quarterback room won’t look great this year, the team can’t repeat the mistakes of their past. They were in a similar spot in 2022 following the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, and they rushed to draft Kenny Pickett despite the signs not looking great that he could command a team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can’t get desperate at quarterback in free agency
With their options dwindling, the draft may quickly become the team's last line of defense. Look, drafting a quarterback is justifiable this season, but where they pick in the first round would make taking a rookie there a mistake.
More than likely, they will miss out on the top two names. After that, this class becomes a mixed bag. While names like Jaxson Dart, Will Howard, and even Tyler Shough flash potential, using a first-round pick on any of them would be a massive overreaction.
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What actually makes sense for the Steelers? Washing their hands of the quarterback room entirely this offseason. Go get a young option who has failed in the past like Mac Jones or Trey Lance. Add a veteran to compete with them like Drew Lock or Danial Jones, and draft someone in the third or fourth round if the right value is there.
It won’t provide Pittsburgh a winning formula this season (more than likely, although we saw Darnold and Geno Smith revive their careers), it sets them up to go and get their guy next year.
What they can’t do is force their hand to get a franchise quarterback by reaching into a bad quarterback class. If you wanted to be aggressive, you should have offered more competitive deals to Darnold and Fields. They didn’t, but they can’t let a small mistake kill them in the long term.