Pittsburgh Steelers Team President Art Rooney II did not rule out the team trading for a quarterback in the offseason. In a 1-on-1 conversation with KDKA’s Bob Pompeani, Rooney said he and the team won’t close the door on any avenue to improve their quarterback room in the coming months.
“As we sit here early February, we’re not closing the door on anything,” Rooney told Pompeani Tuesday when asked about possibly trading for a quarterback. “We have a lot of evaluations to go through. And we’ll go through all the options and do what we need to do to be better this coming season.”
The most notable quarterbacks speculated to the Steelers so far have been the Denver Broncos’ Russell Wilson, Chicago Bears’ Justin Fields, and Minnesota Vikings’ Kirk Cousins. Wilson is expected to be cut by the Broncos, while Cousins is slated to hit free agency with an expensive price tag. Fields is the most likely and notable trade candidate. The Bears hold the first overall draft pick, with many expecting the team to draft USC QB Caleb Williams, making Fields expendable.
Pittsburgh showed some level of interest in Fields coming out of Ohio State. Mike Tomlin attended his Pro Day, though stopping there is never unusual given the school’s deep talent. Fields has struggled to find consistency in his career, especially as a passer, but he’s flashed elite-level plays and is one of the best running quarterbacks in football. In 2022, he rushed for over 1,100 yards at more than 7 yards per carry, though his numbers cooled off in 2023.
New OC Arthur Smith has utilized mobile quarterbacks, chiefly Atlanta Falcons’ Marcus Mariota, who rushed for 438 yards and four touchdowns in 2022. Tennessee Titans’ QB Ryan Tannehill had 11 rushing scores in his two years under Smith, while Desmond Ridder had five rushing touchdowns in 2023. Smith, like Tomlin, also attended Fields’ pre-draft workout. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Fields should fetch a second-round pick and potentially even a first rounder. Pittsburgh currently holds the 20th pick of the draft.
Rooney’s response was non-committal, and to date, there have been few other signs the Steelers are seriously interested in acquiring a top-name quarterback. Publicly, Tomlin and Rooney remain optimistic about Pickett, though also making clear that 2024 is a critical season for him and his future with the team. Pittsburgh’s also maintained the desire to re-sign QB Mason Rudolph, a pending free agent who will have a larger market than last season.
Rumors about Fields and company will continue until their destinations are settled. Rooney’s comments will only add fuel to that fire. But the odds of the Steelers making a blockbuster move for an “A” name quarterback remain low. But if Pickett can’t prove he’s the future, there will be a serious conversation about finding a new quarterback come 2025.
