The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be watched throughout the 2025 offseason as they are one of the biggest mysteries in the NFL, and they have the ability to pull off some franchise-altering trades. Players who should be considered upgrades are expected to be available at both wide receiver and quarterback, and General Manager Omar Khan could be aggressive in pursuing external help. The Steelers first need to decide on the future of both quarterbacks from the 2024 roster, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, as the organization is interested in bringing one of them back in 2025.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and Head Coach Mike Tomlin sit in the franchise's draft room as they anxiously watch the board in 2023.
It remains unclear whether the Steelers are more interested in Fields or Wilson, but the front office could also consider an external option or two. Khan was aggressive during the 2024 offseason in his pursuit of help at wide receiver, and fans could see the general manager acting similarly in 2025. The Los Angeles Rams seem to have a desire to get younger, as the organization has already announced their intentions to trade wide receiver Cooper Kupp. It would be understandable if they decided the same thing for Matthew Stafford, or if the veteran quarterback wants to play elsewhere after the organization parts ways with his favorite wide receiver and good friend.
During a recent episode of Scoop City, NFL insider Dianna Russini was speaking with NFL writer Robert Mays. Mays spoke on the Stafford situation, where he shared that Stafford coming to Pittsburgh made logical sense.
"I think a lot of these teams that need a quarterback, I'm not sure Matthew Stafford and what he would cost is the best solution, Pittsburgh has a little bit of financial wiggle room," Mays said. "They could potentially do it. I think that's the team I keep coming back to because I think them making these incremental steps doing these things, 'Oh, Russell Wilson for a million dollars, that's a good investment for us to make,' it's all very measured and reasonable. I think that them doing something that's a little bit more aggressive and rash, I would like to see them do that because I think they need to do something to shake it up."
Mays mentioned that the Steelers have a little bit of financial wiggle room, which is important because if Stafford is dealt, he will likely be seeking a new deal. The veteran quarterback is certainly in the same class of quarterback as Wilson, meaning they are both on the tail end of their careers. The biggest difference is that Stafford is still one of the better quarterbacks in the league, as he won a Super Bowl just four years ago.
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Rams' Matthew Stafford walks off of the field after a game with his wife.
Stafford is only going to play one or two more seasons in the NFL, so if he is on the trade market, he is going to want to go somewhere that there is a realistic chance of winning. This might be hard to believe since Pittsburgh ended the 2024 season losing five games in a row, but the Steelers would have a chance to do serious damage with one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Mays continued to speak about Stafford in Pittsburgh.
"I wonder if you change what the offense feels like with Matthew Stafford, I just think that they have, if I'm looking at a team that otherwise is set up to potentially win in 2025 and needs a quarterback as part of that equation, I think the Steelers make the most sense," Mays added.
The quarterback is a different style of player from Wilson or Fields, and he is one of the best passers to ever play the position. Stafford is underappreciated at times because he was wasting away on the Detroit Lions for the majority of his career, but ever since he arrived in Los Angeles, it seems NFL fans can appreciate Stafford more as one of the best in the NFL.
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Cooper Kupp during a game with the Los Angeles Rams.
Steelers Could Reunite Matthew Stafford With His Favorite Wide Receiver
After Khan pursued Brandon Aiyuk during the 2024 offseason, and then pursued other wide receivers ahead of the trade deadline, it makes sense as to why Kupp would be favored to go to the Steelers. It is unclear what a potential deal would look like, but the Steelers could maybe get both Stafford and Kupp in the same deal.
This would take a serious financial commitment from the Steelers, but it could certainly be worth it. The Steelers' defense is older, and pairing them with an older offense might be what the franchise needs to do.
What do you think about Stafford playing for the Steelers in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!
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