Free agency is right around the corner, and hopefully the Pittsburgh Steelers will quickly figure out who their starting quarterback is. There’s been a ton of discourse surrounding that topic, including some crazy rumors. It seems like the Steelers are going to bring back one of their starters from 2024, but that could change. Perhaps they’ll target a different veteran. Former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth believes the Steelers could entice big-name free agents if they get a quality starting quarterback.
“You have a quarterback, people want to come play there,” Schlereth said recently on his Stinkin’ Truth podcast. “You can’t tell me, for instance, if Matthew Stafford went to Pittsburgh, that people wouldn’t be lined up going, ‘Wait a minute, they got Matthew Stafford. They’ve got a head coach that everybody respects. They’ve got a defense that can ball with T.J. Watt. Yeah, I’ll go.’
“If you’re a receiver, would you go to Pittsburgh? You’re damn right you would. Play opposite of George Pickens, they got a couple of tight ends that can play. Of course you would. So, you grab a quarterback, and Pittsburgh will be a destination spot.”
Schlereth is probably correct that a solid starter under center would draw more eyes to Pittsburgh. Money talks, but many players also want to compete for a championship. A player like Stafford would make the Steelers look closer to a contender. A free agent could see himself as the missing piece for the Steelers.
Unfortunately, acquiring a player of Stafford’s caliber is easier said than done. The Los Angeles Rams haven’t even declared that they’re moving on from him. Besides Stafford, there aren’t many high-quality starting quarterbacks available. Most of the free agent signal callers don’t have that same reputation, or they did but are now past their prime.
Still, Schlereth makes a good point that the Steelers shouldn’t wait to figure out who their starting quarterback is going to be. The longer they drag that process out, the fewer free agents that will be on the market. Quarterback should be the first domino to fall.
The Steelers are in desperate need of another receiver, too. If they can land Stafford, and then also add a good pass catcher, they could be a serious threat in 2025. Their team would still have issues, but there would be more reason for fans to be optimistic.
There’s no guarantee any of that will happen, though. Getting Stafford would be nice, but there are lot of moving parts in that scenario. Justin Fields or Russell Wilson might be the Steelers’ starter once again. That might not look as good on paper as Stafford, but maybe it could still draw a big name or two to Pittsburgh. There are other appealing aspects to their team.
