For almost two decades, the Pittsburgh Steelers had stability at the quarterback position with Ben Roethlisberger. Even after he retired, the Steelers attempted to draft his replacement the first chance they got with Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The franchise isn’t used to entering the offseason without a solid plan at quarterback, but that is more or less what happened in 2024. Mason Rudolph was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and Pickett had just sat on the bench for the team’s playoff loss.
The quarterback rumors and speculation started early, and by mid-February the Steelers had been linked to virtually every available (or potentially available) quarterback in free agency. Much to everybody’s surprise, they ended up signing Russell Wilson, trading Pickett, and trading for Justin Fields all within the first week of free agency. Problem solved, right? The issue is, both Wilson and Fields will become free agents next March.
ESPN NFL reporter Dan Graziano handed down verdicts on several overreactions around the league on Thursday morning and deemed it “not an overreaction” that the Steelers will once again be in the market for a quarterback next spring.
“While these are exciting, recognizable names and the Steelers are coming off a year in which they used Pickett and Mason Rudolph at quarterback, there remains the non-zero chance that neither Wilson nor Fields plays well,” Graziano wrote. “The Steelers have never had a losing record under coach Mike Tomlin, which means they’ve never really selected high enough to find a true franchise quarterback in the draft.
“That means they have to find creative solutions in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. But the two potential solutions they found this offseason are unquestionably imperfect ones, so don’t be at all surprised if they find themselves in the same situation next spring.”
I already have a nice headache starting to form in anticipation of next year’s quarterback carousel and speculation mill. We have heard multiple analysts and television personalities link Dak Prescott to the Steelers next year if he hits free agency, and the 2024 season hasn’t even started yet. In fact, Graziano mentioned that as a possibility earlier in this same article.
Wilson signed a one-year, $1.21 million deal, with the Denver Broncos still on the hook for much of his 2024 salary. Justin Fields was acquired for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick and his fifth-year option was declined. Both quarterbacks will be free agents in March. Wilson and the Steelers have reportedly already shown interest in working out an extension next offseason, but that is predicated on some level of success this year. Too much success, and Wilson could end up being very expensive at an advanced football age. Would the Steelers really tie themselves to a 36-year-old on a large contract?
If Fields doesn’t end up starting a single game, will he want to stick around in Pittsburgh and wait for an opportunity to start? He would at least want to test the waters in free agency to see if there is a better opportunity to start elsewhere. He has plenty of potential at 25 years old, but that is mostly unrealized potential through his first three NFL seasons.
If I had to guess, one of either Wilson or Fields will be the Week 1 starter in 2025. That being said, I could easily see the Steelers finding themselves right back at the drawing board for the quarterback position next offseason.
