Another day, another article about who the Pittsburgh Steelers might or might not start at quarterback in 2025. Soon enough, there will be answers. Until then, it’s all speculation. But CBS Sports’ reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala has a good feel for who it probably won’t be. Consistent throughout the offseason, Kinkhabwala shut the door on Russell Wilson’s return while leaving it cracked for Los Angeles Rams’ QB Matthew Stafford.
“From all of the reporting that I have and all of the conversations that I’ve had with people in the building, everything I have been told is that he is not going to resign with the Steelers,” Kinkhabwala told 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller Wednesday afternoon.
It’s consistent with her other reporting and previous rebuke of a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report that hinted an overbearing coaching staff was the reason why Wilson and the Steelers’ offense faltered over the final month.
While not as ironclad, her words echo the sentiment beat writer Mark Kaboly offered earlier in the day, convinced Justin Fields is the team’s priority with Wilson strung along as a backup plan. Omar Khan and Art Rooney II are on the record open to re-signing either, though they’re smart not to burn any bridges, knowing there’s no guarantee a deal with Fields, an unrestricted free agent, gets done.
Kinkhabwala was lukewarm on the chances of Stafford coming to Pittsburgh. But not nearly as cold as Wilson’s chance of return.
“There’s enough noise here and enough conversations that it’s not out of the realm of possibility,” she said of Stafford.
The New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders appear to be the frontrunners for Stafford if he’s moved. Staying with the Los Angeles Rams is also a possibility. But situations are fluid, and Khan, in the same breath about re-signing the team’s quarterbacks, repeatedly said, “All options are on the table” until a starter is signed.
Determining the quarterback is priority number one for every team. That should create urgency for all teams to get their ducks in a row on or before March 12, the start of the new league year. That’s just two weeks away, and it could be a busy march to the finish line.
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