The Pittsburgh Steelers have a number of issues they need to address this offseason. After falling apart to end the 2024 season, they find themselves once again directionless at quarterback. While it seems like they’re going to use free agency to fix that problem, it doesn’t feel like that will give them a long-term solution. The Steelers likely have to look to the draft to find their next franchise quarterback. Analyst Nick Wright believes that’s the direction they need to go this offseason.
“The answer is they have to draft a guy,” Wright said recently on his podcast, First Things First. “The point that I’m making is the Steelers, you are in a division with Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. You have to get off this treadmill of quarterback mediocrity.”
Wright makes a good point about the other AFC North quarterbacks. While Burrow wasn’t enough to get the Cincinnati Bengals into the playoffs last year, he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Likewise, Jackson was arguably the best player in the NFL last year. To compete with those two teams, the Steelers probably need better quarterback play.
The Steelers have proved they can compete with their quarterback position in flux, but they couldn’t seal the deal. They haven’t won the AFC North since 2020. Since then, the Bengals and Baltimore Ravens have each captured the division crown twice.
Unfortunately, finding a franchise quarterback is much easier said than done. Quarterback isn’t a strength of this year’s draft, either. Even if the Steelers traded up, they probably wouldn’t be getting a fantastic prospect. Like in 2022, when they selected Kenny Pickett, the Steelers find themselves needing to draft a quarterback at the wrong time.
That doesn’t mean they can’t draft a solid starter, though. Nothing is guaranteed with the draft. The Steelers could draft a player, not play them immediately, and allow them to develop into a quality starter. In that scenario, they’d need a veteran starter to play in 2025, though.
It’s obvious that quarterback is a problem for the Steelers. There just isn’t an easy solution available. If the Steelers reach on a player like Pickett again, they could set their timeline back.
Wright is correct that the Steelers need to find a way out of the cycle they’re in. However, that might take a little patience. It’s probably going to take a few years for the Steelers to find real stability at quarterback, and that might even be too hopeful of an outlook.
