Nearly a year ago, Mike Tomlin took the podium at his year-end press conference and announced the Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 starting quarterback was on the roster. At the time, the roster consisted of Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and Mitch Trubisky. In reality, none of those three made it to spring OTAs, let alone a starting job. So, projecting the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2025 might feel trickier. For Bill Barnwell, he thinks Pittsburgh could hit the reset button. He just doesn’t make a good case for it.
Examining several quarterback situations around the league, he praised the job Justin Fields and Russell Wilson have done this season. Fields is smart with the football, and Wilson provides a big-play spark and solid fit in OC Arthur Smith’s system. But Barnwell wonders if the Steelers will think the grass is greener on the other side.
“If [Wilson] wants to try to win another Super Bowl, the Steelers would surely be the best team in position to give him a chance to do so as a starter,” Barnwell wrote in a Monday column for ESPN. “Would he be willing to take a relatively modest deal to stay in that starting role?
“And would the Steelers be more ambitious? They have more than $56 million in projected cap space next year. If a more expensive option comes available, Pittsburgh would be in position to pursue them. Could it go after Sam Darnold? Would it consider trading for Kirk Cousins if the Falcons are willing to eat salary? Would it see Daniel Jones as a younger version of Wilson?”
It’s unclear in what world trading for Kirk Cousins or signing Daniel Jones is more “ambitious” than sticking with the quarterback who has easily given the team their best quarterback play of the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. Cousins is fading fast in Atlanta, and trading for him and his large contract, even in a scenario where Atlanta eats some of that money, is illogical. Cousins’ complete lack of mobility is the opposite of what Smith needs in his under-center, play-action, and boot-game-heavy scheme.
Jones is athletic but a mess of a quarterback. At best, Pittsburgh would view him as a Fields, a first-round talent who needs nurturing as a backup in a stable organization, not as a starter and direct Wilson replacement.
Darnold is the best of those three but will likely cash in big time come free agency. For Pittsburgh, there isn’t a compelling reason to play free-agent quarterback roulette. If they’re going to spend good money on the position, they’ll do it on the guy they know in Wilson rather than the projection in Darnold.
The tea leaves indicate Wilson will return as the Steelers’ quarterback in 2025. But Barnwell wants the rest of the season to play out.
“If the latest edition of Tomlin Magic ends with another blowout loss in the wild-card round, I suspect the Steelers will consider their options.”
That’s a fairer point. Pittsburgh is having great regular season success, but if their year ends the same, one-and-done, some will wonder if Wilson can get the Steelers over the hump. But it’s hard to think of a better option for the short-term, 2025, than what Wilson is providing the team. Despite just turning 36, Wilson is in a good place physically. Still mobile, with a big arm, and concerns over recurring calf injuries have faded away.
Ultimately, Barnwell projects the team’s 2025 starter will be “a veteran who isn’t on the current roster.”
There’s no question the right price tag on Wilson will be debated. Is he worth a Baker Mayfield deal, three years and $100 million? Would he aim higher for $40 million? Would he be willing to take a friendly deal, not wanting to try his third team in as many seasons? How long should the contract be for someone of Wilson’s age? It’s fair to ask those questions. Still, the most likely scenario is Wilson returns on a multi-year contract.
But Barnwell’s suggestions over alternatives don’t hold up. If Pittsburgh enters next year starting Cousins or Jones, they’ve gotten worse, not better.
