While Aaron Rodgers finally spoke publicly, he still hasn’t made a decision on his future. It doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen any time soon, either. That could cause the Pittsburgh Steelers to move on from him. Rodgers made it clear he’d understand if they do that. Due to that and numerous other factors, ESPN analyst Dan Graziano believes the Steelers could target a quarterback in the first round of the draft.
“Having the 21st pick in this year’s draft, where six quarterbacks are not going to go in the first 12 picks, you know you’re gonna be able to get somebody,” Graziano said Friday on Get Up. “You have your list of candidates.
“I think the Steelers know they need to address this for the long-term at some point. Don’t have a second-round pick, they traded it for DK [Metcalf]. In the first round, I think they’re a really solid bet to take a quarterback. It may be a matter of them sitting tight and seeing which one falls to them because trading up is going to be difficult. They don’t have as much draft capital as others.”
This year’s quarterback class does look weaker than most. Although it doesn’t look as bad as the 2022 class, when the Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett, it isn’t impressive. However, that could work in the Steelers’ favor.
It looks almost certain that Cam Ward will be selected with the No. 1 overall pick. After that, it’s unclear when the next quarterback will be selected. Shedeur Sanders is widely regarded as the second-best signal caller in this draft, but he could go anywhere from the third pick to the Steelers’ selection at 21.
Sanders could be in for a draft-day fall, but a team could jump the Steelers to take Sanders. If that doesn’t happen, it sounds like Pittsburgh would seriously consider drafting him. He’s got flaws, but at this point, he could be one of their best options remaining under center.
There are other quarterbacks the Steelers could consider at 21, too. They brought in Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough for top-30 visits. Both of them have gotten some first-round buzz. While they’re unlikely to elevate the Steelers’ ceiling, they could eventually develop into decent starters. That could help the Steelers avoid being stuck in quarterback purgatory again next offseason.
However, there’s no guarantee the Steelers will go after a quarterback in the first round, or that one they like enough to take there will be available. Quarterbacks tend to come at a premium in the draft, and even in a down year, that could ring true again. The Steelers might find themselves hoping that Rodgers eventually decides to join their team.
