The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly trading QB Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles in the wake of Russell Wilson signing with the team. The Steelers almost always have three quarterbacks on the roster for the regular season and typically carry four into training camp. With Wilson the only quarterback under contract, and on a one-year deal, they have their work cut out for them to add depth, as well as figure out the future of the position.
Here are some quarterback options for the Steelers to consider:
Justin Fields
Just when we thought we could put the Fields-Steelers speculation to rest, it is back with a vengeance. Within minutes of the Pickett news, several analysts had already chimed in, linking Fields back to the Steelers. All of the recent reporting, and the way the quarterback market has shaken out in free agency, suggest a weaker-than-expected market for Fields. He is still under contract and will need to be traded. With the Chicago Bears holding the first overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, it seems likely they will take USC’s Caleb Williams. That would leave Fields without a starting spot and without a future in the organization.
The Steelers now have extra draft capital from the Pickett trade to make a deal. One of the big talking points for why the Steelers would not trade for Fields throughout the offseason was the presence of another young quarterback in Pickett. With him out the door, a trade for Fields makes much more sense. They would have to make a decision on his fifth-year option right away, which would be a one-year, fully guaranteed amount of $25,664,000 per Over The Cap, but that makes a whole lot more sense now with Pickett gone.
People within the Steelers organization, including Mike Tomlin, liked Fields coming out of college. He fits the mold of an athletic quarterback with a big arm that Tomlin has been looking for. This option makes the most sense for the current, and future, quarterback situation in Pittsburgh.
Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill almost feels like a lock to be signed in the coming days. He has the connection to new Steelers OC Arthur Smith from their time together on the Tennessee Titans and understands the offense that Smith likes to run. He is 35 years old and would be paired with another 35-year-old in Wilson. He won’t be expensive and would help stabilize the room that is currently one injury away from disaster.
The best two seasons of his career were with Smith in 2019 and 2020. Over those two seasons, he went 18-8 as the starter and completed 516 passes on 767 attempts for 6,561 yards, 55 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He earned his one and only Pro Bowl selection in their first year together in 2019.
Other Veterans
There are a handful of other names with starting experience out there that would come relatively cheap. One that piques my interest due to his experience within the organization is Josh Dobbs. He was drafted by the Steelers and was last on the team in 2021, but he has started a handful of games since then with the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings. He was one of Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite backups and by all accounts he was a great guy to have in the quarterback room.
Other names include Tyler Huntley, Trevor Siemian, and Carson Wentz. There aren’t that many names out there following the first week of free agency.
2024 NFL Draft
The Steelers hold the 20th pick in the draft, so there are a few names that can probably be eliminated right off the bat. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye will all go in the top handful of picks. While it is possible the Steelers could trade up, it would be shocking if they moved any higher than about the 10th overall selection, making the same move they did to acquire Devin Bush Jr. in the 2019 NFL Draft. That cost them their second-round pick as well as their 2020 third-round pick. They just acquired an additional third-round pick in the Pickett trade, so they have some extra room to move up if they deem it necessary.
Other than that, your guess is as good as mine as to whom they would target if they go with a QB in the first round. Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and J.J. McCarthy are the other names in contention for a first-round selection. None of them jump off the page as a must-draft player, but McCarthy is the most intriguing if the Steelers were to trade up. They might be able to grab one of the other two if they stay put at pick No. 20. While I lean toward this not being the answer, the Steelers do have to figure out the future of the position with Wilson on a one-year deal and nobody else under contract.
