It didn't take long for quarterback options to dwindle in free agency. Entering the NFL's negotiation period, Sam Darnold and Justin Fields were two of the hottest names on the market, but before the sunset on the first day of contract negotiations, Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks and the New York Jets poached Fields. Now the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a pickle.
There are just two notable free-agent options remaining at the QB position: Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. Neither quarterback is coming off a great season with their respective team and both are nearing retirement age.
But the Steelers already gave it a go with one of these quarterbacks... and it did not end well.
When Mike Tomlin handed Wilson the reigns in Week 7 of the 2024 season, things were looking up. Later, we came to find out that Wilson was coasting on an easy schedule. Against good opponents over the final five weeks of the year, Wilson's offense averaged 14 points per game while he led his team to a dismal 0-5 record (including the early exit from the playoffs).
Running it back with Wilson would be a counterintuitive move that is guaranteed to infuriate an already disgruntled Steelers fanbase. Thankfully, there's another team in play for Wilson's services.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should pray the Tennessee Titans sign free agent Russell Wilson
On Monday, NFL reporter Connor Hughes reported the Tennessee Titans are among the teams interested in signing veteran quarterback Russell Wilson. This comes after Tennessee's experiment with 2023 second-round quarterback Will Levis continued to go south in his second season.
The Titans took their big swing on a toolsy quarterback, but now they could opt for a safer play with Wilson. While not an ideal option, Wilson is good enough to raise the floor of the league's worst team from last season.
This is music to the ears of Steelers fans.
Seeing how things ended with Wilson in 2024, Steelers fans wanted no part of a new contract for Wilson. Though Wilson signing with the Titans would remove one more potential QB option from the table. Most fans would rather Pittsburgh take their lumps with just about anyone else at this point.
The clear frontrunner would be Aaron Rodgers. Though Rodgers is coming off a disappointing season in his own right, this came on a dumpster-fire Jets organization that just cleaned out.
In Pittsburgh, Rodgers could see one more resurgence late in his NFL career. This will only be a stop-gap option before the Steelers make a splash for a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. Selecting a quarterback high in 2025 isn't out of the question either, but the Steelers would be wise to cover their bases at the game's most important position and bridge the gap with a player like Rodgers.
If the Tennessee Titans can take Russell Wilson out of the running, there's hope for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025.