As it stands right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback room of Mason Rudolph and Skyler Thompson. That would easily be the worst QB group of Mike Tomlin’s tenure if it stands, but they are not done adding to the room. GM Omar Khan mentioned leaving all options on the table during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, and he furthered that idea at the owner’s meeting this morning.
“We always go to training camp with four quarterbacks, and we have two under contract right now,” The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo reported from Khan’s media session this morning. “So all options are on the table through free agency, trade or draft, obviously. So all options are on the table.”
One of those two spots is likely to be filled by Aaron Rodgers. Regardless of how likely that may seem, they must explore all other options until the ink is dried on the contract. Which quarterbacks would be available for trade? I suppose almost anybody could be for the right price, but the most realistic is 37-year-old Kirk Cousins.
The Atlanta Falcons opted not to release him and instead paid him a roster bonus to maintain his trade value. Adam Schefter said he could make sense for the Steelers and a couple other teams as a break-the-glass emergency option.
If it’s not Rodgers, then maybe Cousins becomes an option via trade. If not Rodgers or Cousins, the veteran options are running thin. Ryan Tannehill is available and knows Arthur Smith’s system. Joe Flacco is available and sliced up the Steelers pretty good last year as the backup of the Indianapolis Colts. Either way, Khan said a veteran QB will be added.
“I’d say that’s a safe assumption,” Khan said via DeFabo.
Adding a fourth quarterback would likely mean drafting one. How successful they are in acquiring a veteran could dictate the draft plans at the position. Do you land Rodgers or Cousins? Then maybe add a developmental guy in the fourth or fifth round. Get left with Flacco or Tannehill? Maybe it’s time to consider a first or third-round quarterback.
The Steelers have shown a ton of interest in this quarterback class with pre-draft visits reported for Tyler Shough and Jaxson Dart and Pro Day meetings with Jalen Milroe and Will Howard.
They could always go the route of John Rhys Plumlee last year and sign an undrafted option as the fourth quarterback if the draft board doesn’t break their way and they end up with Rodgers or another notable veteran.
The situation will remain fluid, and all the Steelers can do right now is prepare as many contingency plans as possible in the event Rodgers decides to go in another direction.
