For the past few years, it feels like the Pittsburgh Steelers have been stuck in the same cycle. They’ve fought to have a non-losing season, made the playoffs, and then gotten destroyed by their first opponent. At the moment, there’s skepticism among the fan base that 2025 is going to be any different, especially because quarterback is still a huge question mark for the Steelers. Former NFL offensive linemen Damien Woody believes the Steelers need to make a big move at quarterback to change their fate.
“They need a bold move,” Woody said Friday on ESPN’s Get Up. “The Pittsburgh Steelers, if you look at them offensively, outside of the wide receiver, they don’t have anyone that scares you. [George] Pickens, outside of him, there’s no one that scares you.
“If you’re the Pittsburgh Steelers, you need to make a bold move at quarterback. Russell Wilson’s not going to work. Justin Fields is not going to work. You need to go out and make some type of bold move to bring some juice to this offense.”
Woody is correct that the Steelers’ offense seems lacking at the moment. Pickens is a genuine threat, but besides him, the Steelers’ weapons aren’t great. Najee Harris is a pending free agent, so it’s not even clear who their starting running back will be in 2025. With weapons like that, it’s hard to see Wilson or Fields having serious success.
However, what kind of exciting move does Woody want the Steelers to make? They can only work with what’s available. There was a report about the Steelers trying to trade for Trevor Lawrence, but it quickly became clear that wasn’t true. Franchise quarterbacks aren’t a dime a dozen. The quarterbacks currently on the market all have flaws. It’s hard to say any of them would elevate the Steelers’ offense.
Matthew Stafford seems like the best quarterback who could be on the move. However, there’s no guarantee that the Los Angeles Rams will trade him. Also, at 37 years old, how much does he have left in the tank? With the Steelers built as they are now offensively, he might not be as effective as he was last year.
That doesn’t mean the Steelers shouldn’t make a bold move. Maybe it should just come at a different position. If the Steelers acquire a talented wide receiver, perhaps that will help take pressure off whoever their quarterback is in 2025.
It seems like the most probable scenario is that the Steelers are going to retain one of Wilson or Fields. Woody isn’t wrong to ask them to make a bigger splash at quarterback. The circumstances just don’t seem right for that kind of move this year. The Steelers could still make a significant addition to their offense. It just might not be under center. That’s unfortunate, but you can’t make a deal where one doesn’t exist.
