For the past few weeks, it’s felt like Aaron Rodgers will be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2025. The Steelers are the only team that left that has been heavily connected to Rodgers. However, he still hasn’t signed with them. Maybe that won’t ever happen. That could cause the Steelers to target a quarterback in the first round of the draft and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders could be a possibility for them. Mike Florio thinks the Steelers are better off drafting Sanders than signing Rodgers.
“The Steelers, they’ve had Terry Bradshaw, long pause, Ben Roethlisberger,” Florio said Friday on his Pro Football Talk podcast. “Now, they’re hoping short pause and if it can be Shedeur Sanders, then so be it. I think it’s better to take that chance than to get caught up in the lure of what Aaron Rodgers at 41 could do for you.”
When free agency started, it didn’t seem like the Steelers would have a chance at drafting Sanders. He seemed most likely to end up getting drafted in the top five or 10 picks. However, things have changed, and he could be in for a draft day fall. Getting all the way to the Steelers’ pick at 21 might be a longshot, but if he gets in range, they could make a small move up for him.
Unfortunately for the Steelers, this year’s quarterback draft class is weak. Sanders is widely regarded as the second-best prospect at his position. However, he still has flaws. Maybe he could play decent football for the Steelers in his rookie year, but it’s doubtful they’d compete for a Super Bowl.
That’s why they’re targeting Rodgers. Mike Tomlin wants to give players like T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward a chance to compete in the playoffs. Although he’s 41, Rodgers would probably get the Steelers closer to that goal than Sanders in 2025.
Rodgers isn’t the same player he used to be. The Steelers probably wouldn’t win a Super Bowl with him. However, nothing’s impossible. While Rodgers has lost a lot of his athleticism, his arm is still strong, and his mind and experience are invaluable.
That might make him a better fit for the Steelers this year. Rodgers isn’t their long-term answer, though. That’s why the Steelers could sign him and still draft Sanders. The Steelers don’t have to choose one over the other like Florio suggests. They can have both. It might be tricky to pull off, but allowing Sanders to sit behind Rodgers for a year could work out well for the Steelers.
