Steelers Could Be Planning To Use Week 5 Bye As An Opportunity To Make Unexpected Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 2-1 after defeating the New England Patriots by a score of 21-14 in Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. It has appeared as if Aaron Rodgers still has some game left at 41 years old, but the box score on Sunday didn't exactly instill confidence from an outside observer. He was only able to throw for 139 yards in the contest and the offense as a whole was only able to muster up 203 total yards. The unit will be facing a tough test in Week 4 when the team plays against the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland.

The long-term plan for the Steelers at quarterback is a bit of a mystery. The organization could draft a signal-caller in 2026, or let Mason Rudolph and Will Howard compete for the job in training camp. The latter seems unlikely, given the fact that franchises need a dominant force playing quarterback to win, and neither of the options under contract for 2026 have proven themselves as much as fans would have liked.

The fourth piece to the puzzle currently is Skylar Thompson. The former seventh-round pick showcased his talents in the preseason, and ended up putting plenty of good film on tape. He was one of the better signal-callers throughout the league during the exhibition period, and should have no business being an organization's fourth option.

With Howard and Thompson both currently on Injured Reserve (IR), a decision is going to have to be made in the coming weeks about what to do with the emergency quarterback spot on game days. The Steelers are known for not holding onto more than three quarterbacks, so it's very possible that Thompson ends up getting released when, and if, all four players are healthy at the same time.

After Pittsburgh's Week 4 matchup overseas, the team will have an early bye in Week 5. This will allow guys to get healthy, but also provide a unique opportunity to explore additions, or subtractions from the roster. Franchises have already experienced quarterback injury issues early on in 2025, and by the time Thompson is healthy, a decision could be made to deal him for a late-round draft selection.

There's no guarantee that the Steelers would find a trade partner for Thompson, but as long as he is fully healthy, he's definitely someone to shop around. He is highly likely never going to see the field in Pittsburgh, but has some value because of how well he played during the preseason. Unfortunately for the Steelers, it doesn't make sense to part ways with a rookie while keeping someone else who is on a one-year deal.

While Thompson won't be able to return to action until Week 7 (because the bye week does not count when a player is on IR) there is precedent to trade him anyway. The Patriots just traded Ja'Lynn Polk to the New Orleans Saints despite the receiver being on season-ending IR. 

Thompson's situation is a bit different, as he should be expected to return in 2025. Any team inquiring would need to be confident that he is fully healthy, because his 21-day window would need to be activated upon any deal. General Manager Omar Khan could be interested in getting yet another draft pick for 2026 if another organization throughout the league needs quarterback help.

Steelers Hoping To Keep Rodgers Healthy All Season

Pittsburgh's offensive line performed better in Week 3, but there is still a long way to go for the unit. While the other three quarterbacks don't necessarily matter for on-field play in games, the 41-year-old in Rodgers could be one hit away from the Steelers' signal-caller situation drastically changing. Overall, Thompson is at the bottom of the list, and could get traded soon if he is almost fully recovered from his injury.

Do you think that the Steelers could trade Thompson around the Week 5 bye? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation