The Pittsburgh Steelers have done quite a bit of work on the quarterback position in the pre-draft process, finding themselves connected to a trio of potential first-round quarterbacks in Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe.
Holding the No. 21 overall pick, the Steelers find themselves in prime position to potentially make a seismic move and land a quarterback of the future.
But, for ESPN Radio’s Evan Cohen, who co-hosts Unsportsmanlike with Chris Canty and Michelle Smallmon, if the Steelers don’t draft a quarterback at No. 21 Thursday night, he believes veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will be a Steeler soon.
Not Aaron Rodgers.
“I’ll go out on a limb. If they pass on a quarterback tonight, I’ll say Kirk Cousins will be there by the time we come on the air on Monday,” Cohen said, according to audio via ESPN Radio. “If the Pittsburgh Steelers pass on a quarterback tonight, I think Kirk Cousins is gonna be their quarterback, not Aaron Rodgers.
“No reporting, no information. I’m just going with my gut feeling on this.”
While Cousins has seemingly been available via trade for the right price throughout the offseason after a tough first year in Atlanta that saw him benched after dealing with a shoulder injury for first-round QB Michael Penix Jr., the Steelers haven’t shown much interest in the 13th-year veteran.
For now, the Steelers continue to await a decision from 41-year-old quarterback and four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, a decision they are confident will result in him playing for the Black and Gold in 2025. In the process, the Steelers have also been heavily connected to the likes of Dart, Sanders and Milroe, with many NFL insiders predicting that the Steelers will select Sanders at No. 21 overall Thursday night.
But if they don’t, and they still find themselves waiting for Rodgers, Cohen believes Cousins will be the answer.
The only problem is that there is a significant contract that comes with Cousins, along with the guaranteed money. His play declined a bit too last season, leading to his benching. Last year, coming off an Achilles injury, Cousins started 14 games. He threw for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, an ugly stat line for a quarterback who was highly regarded for much of his career, especially in Minnesota.
It would be a significant pivot for the Steelers if they were to turn to Cousins after passing on a QB in the first round, but the Steelers have a significant need, and the waiting around for Rodgers can’t last forever. It seems very unlikely that Cousins would be the play for the Steelers, but crazier things have happened.
We’ll see just how right or wrong Cohen’s bold prediction is soon.
