The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently stuck in a spot that reminds most of Steeler Nation of just a couple years ago. Currently, there isn't a clear starting quarterback on the roster for the 2025 season, and last time that happened, the team ultimately reached on a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft by selecting Kenny Pickett in the first round. We don't need to revisit how that ended up, but the team cannot afford to make that big of a mistake again.
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Kenny Pickett (#8) talks with former Steelers Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Team President Art Rooney II recently sat down for multiple interviews, and he spoke about the team's future at the quarterback position. Ultimately the resolution is still unclear at this time, as he suggested that the team would like to bring back only one of either Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, while also leaving the door open for the team to explore options in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Both Fields and Wilson have publicly stated they'd like to return to the Steelers in 2025, and possibly beyond. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that if either of them were to re-sign with the team that they would assume they have the keys to the offense in 2025 as the starting quarterback. However, not everyone thinks that is a given after hearing the comments from Rooney.
NFL writer Mike Florio thinks that the team may be interested in bringing back one or the other because they don't believe in either of them as the starter.
"I also think the guy (that re-signs) is going to be the backup too," Florio says on whoever re-signs with the Steelers. "I think that is the reality. They are going to look for a starter elsewhere. They want to keep one of the other two to be the number two. That's my guess, but it is odd that the position would be that we want to keep one or the other, not both."
Florio definitely is thinking outside the box here, because if either Fields or Wilson re-sign with the Steelers, they would be the odds-on favorite to win the starting quarterback job the second the ink dries on the new contract. The most concerning part about Florio's comments might be the fact that if Fields or Wilson do assume a backup role in 2025, who becomes the starter? The options don't look too promising at the moment.
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Sam Darnold celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass for the Vikings in 2024.
The only candidate that might be considered an upgrade by the majority of people in free agency would be Sam Darnold, who is coming off of easily his best season of his career. Is that him finally developing and elevating his play, or was the season an outlier due to a good play-caller and some elite weapons? Outside of Darnold, Fields and Wilson might be the next best two options on the open market.
If the Steelers wanted to start with a rookie like Rooney maybe suggested, the 2025 NFL Draft doesn't seem particularly flush with great options either. The Steelers already whiffed on one quarterback in a down draft class, so I don't think many would be happy with them rushing to do it again just a few years later.
Steelers Trading For A Quarterback Might Be The Only Way For Florio To Be Correct
If the Steelers were to consider trading for a quarterback, which would be back to back offseasons after trading for Fields in 2024, there is one name that would provide a likely upgrade. Matthew Stafford's future with the Los Angeles Rams is currently up in the air as many speculate if the Rams will be looking to find his eventual successor this offseason. Stafford started some of the speculation of him not providing a definitive answer on his future, granted the question was posed to him less than an hour after the Rams playoff loss this season.
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Steelers' All-Pro edge rusher, TJ Watt (90) chases down Rams QB Matthew Stafford in 2023.
Trading for Stafford would be a big upgrade to the Steelers' offense no matter what way you look at it, but the amount of capital it will require to obtain him and his contract situation make it much more complicated than the addition of Fields or Wilson last season. While it is unlikely to happen, Stafford on the Steelers is a move that would be a welcomed change by most.
Do you think Fields or Wilson are signing up to be a backup if they return to Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!
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