The million-dollar question for the Pittsburgh Steelers this off-season is all about who will suit up as the starting quarterback for the 2024 season. While Kenny Pickett was recently seen as the heir to Ben Roethlisberger, there’s growing uncertainty about the level of trust the team has in him. With Mason Rudolph potentially seeking a fresh start elsewhere, fans are left looking at quarterbacks on the outside for answers, and it’s apparent that they have options aplenty.
From Justin Fields and Russell Wilson to Sam Darnold and Jacoby Brissett, it seems like the Steelers could have a different starting quarterback every day of the week with the way the rumor mill goes. The nature of the NFL does force fans to consider any possibility, though, as the impossible tends to become probable very quickly in the world of professional football. One former NFL player recently gave his take on what the best solution for the Steelers’ dilemma could be.
Dan Orlovsky, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst, appeared on fellow analyst Stephen A. Smith’s podcast and was asked about the Steelers’ current outlook of options at quarterback.
“Number one would be Kirk Cousins. I know the achilles injury is a big part of it, Stephen A., but what would you rather have? You know Kirk Cousins is a good player,” Orlovsky said. “You don’t get good at that position, right now in the league, when you are strictly a pocket passer if you don’t obsess about the small things and the details. That’s why the injury doesn’t concern me.”
Orlovsky makes a good point about the state of the league now, as more and more of the best quarterbacks offer some mobility and aren’t dependent on staying in the pocket. While Cousins has displayed capable movement in the past, it is worth noting that he’ll be 36 years old, coming off a major injury at the beginning of this upcoming season. However, as Orlovsky points out, Cousins’ dedication may result in those concerns becoming non-factors.
Orlovsky goes on to say that he believes in Russell Wilson as well, and that Wilson has been getting some unfair criticism as of late. He also says that Fields could see some success in Pittsburgh, but neither he nor Wilson brings as much to the table as Cousins.
While Kirk Cousins could certainly raise the floor of the Pittsburgh Steelers, getting him on the team is easier said than done. The path to acquiring Wilson or Fields may be easier, making them more viable options. Whatever the case, it’s safe to say that there will be a microscope on whoever the starting quarterback is, and any tiny error or mistake will lead to even more discourse. This conversation is nowhere close to being finished.
