Steelers Now Unlikely To Go After Explosive Free Agent Quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking for consistent quarterback play since the retirement of Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger was under center for the Steelers for a remarkable 18 seasons, leading the team to two Super Bowls along the way. They finally had competent quarterback play for a full season after the "Big Ben" era, but it came from 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers' future beyond this year is uncertain, and NFL reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala recently reported that the likelihood of Rodgers returning to play next season is "minuscule." That begs the question, if not Rodgers under center for the Steelers next season, then who?

The Steelers waited until almost the last possible moment last season for Rodgers to make his decision. This spoke to the confidence that the organization had in Rodgers to ultimately sign with the team. This offseason is another story. The Steelers have reportedly given Rodgers around a one-month window to make his decision, a deadline that would allow the franchise to pivot if Rodgers decides to retire or play elsewhere. 

While the new Steelers head coach, Mike McCarthy, has a great history with Rodgers, including a Super Bowl victory during their time with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers is still 42-years-old and isn't getting any younger. If Rodgers decides to retire, the Steelers will have to look elsewhere, and fast.

Enter Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis. Willis has seen limited time as a starting quarterback with the Packers, serving as the backup to star QB Jordan Love. Every time Willis has been called upon in relief of Love, he has excelled. Willis is still just 26 years old, and his dual-threat ability and sub-4.4 speed make him one of the most intriguing free-agent quarterbacks in years.

If Rodgers does indeed retire, Willis would seemingly make a ton of sense for the Steelers. However, Kinkhabwala also reported that Willis is just as unlikely to be the Steelers' quarterback next season. The 26-year-old quarterback is expected to command more somewhere around the $40 million a year mark, a substantial amount for a largely unproven player, but one that speaks to Willis' potential as a game-breaking quarterback. 

Willis is a major risk for anyone who takes him on. Get it right, and your franchise could be set for the next decade. Get it wrong, and McCarthy's days as Steelers head coach would likely be numbered.

After an NFL-record 22 consecutive winning seasons, the level of consistency Steelers fans expect from their team is due to the high bar set by the Steelers organization. Willis has a ceiling as a possible future top-5 quarterback in the NFL that you can have in his prime, but a floor that would be below anything the Steelers have been as a franchise for over two decades. It appears the Steelers may go the safer route.

Without Rodgers And Willis, Steelers' Will Howard May Get His Chance

Unlike Willis, who the Steelers would have to commit a large portion of their salary cap towards, the team still has last year's sixth-round draft pick Will Howard. He had the opportunity to sit behind and learn from Rodgers last season, and he provides the Steelers with a quarterback option that has practically zero downside. If Howard doesn't work out, the vast majority of sixth-round picks don't. If he does, the Steelers will have drafted an absolute gem in the later rounds.

If Willis is out of the question, it becomes much more likely that the Steelers turn to Howard to see what he has, and bring in a veteran quarterback on a short-term deal if Howard doesn't work out. 

While it remains possible that the Steelers draft a quarterback, such as Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, Simpson would likely require the Steelers to use early draft capital that could be used elsewhere. The Steelers want to win and win now, and may have to get creative at the quarterback position next season in order to do so.

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