The Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback situation is clearly going to be the talk of the 2025 NFL offseason. The organization is still weighing its options between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, while external options are also available. The team will probably attack the position during the 2025 NFL Draft, while also looking for its starter for the 2025 season. A large portion of the fan base wants to see Fields back in Pittsburgh, but it is difficult to know which way the franchise is leaning. A deal with either Wilson or Fields should come prior to free agency opening, as that could drive the market up for each player.
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Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields during a practice in 2024.
While an in-house option is likely the frontrunner for the starting job in 2025, some other names Pittsburgh may be interested in have come to light. There has been talk about either Aaron Rodgers or Matthew Stafford, and Daniel Jones was a name thrown out on Tuesday morning. Local radio host Andrew Fillipponi shared on social media that sources have informed him that the organization is interested in the former New York Giants quarterback. This would be a head-scratching move, and insider Mike DeFabo gave his thoughts on the idea during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan.
"If you're telling me that you're going to bring in Daniel Jones to be the starter, my response to that would be, 'Ok, you're trying to tank to get Arch Manning,'" DeFabo said. "Because if you are trying to bring in Daniel Jones to be the starter, then you're evaluation of quarterbacks is even worse than what I thought."
Jones was drafted by New York with the sixth overall pick in 2018. He was the primary starter for the Giants from 2019 through 2024, but he was released by the team in the middle of the 2024 season after being benched. He joined the Minnesota Vikings later in the year, but never saw the field.
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Steelers' Alex Highsmith hits Daniel Jones during the 2024 season.
Jones has not been a good quarterback throughout his career, however some of his struggles could probably be attributed to the lack of talent around him. It is also ruthless to play for a bad team in New York as it is one of the harsher media-environments in the league. Jones should only be considered if it is to come to Pittsburgh to be a backup; he should never see the field unless it is absolutely necessary. DeFabo spoke more about the possibility of Jones in Pittsburgh.
"The only way that I would be interested in Daniel Jones is as a backup," DeFabo said. "I think that you have to have a Plan A, and maybe your Plan B is kind of like what Justin Fields was this year. He has starting experience, he has played in playoff games before. The hope would be you bring him in, he kind of sits, if you need to go to him, you have a more experienced backup."
The veteran quarterback would not be a bad idea as a backup quarterback. He has plenty of experience as a starter, and he won a playoff game during the 2022 season. He would especially be a good backup to Fields, as both players are mobile and could probably play in a similar offense.
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Texas quarterback Arch Manning warms up on the sidelines.
Steelers Signing Daniel Jones To Start Would Be Throwing In The Towel On The 2025 Season
In no world should Jones still be considered a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL. If the Steelers' intentions are to bring him in to start, it means the organization is okay with losing a lot of games during the 2025 season. This would finally give the Steelers a good draft pick, which could put the franchise in position to select the highly-coveted prospect Arch Manning. If this were to happen, Manning could very well be the quarterback in Pittsburgh for the next 15 years. If all it takes is one season of watching Jones play quarterback, it would probably be worth it.
What do you think of the Steelers' interest in Jones? Should the organization consider tanking? Let us know in the comments below!
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