Through the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers have still not addressed the quarterback position. That could mean they’re comfortable waiting for Aaron Rodgers. They seem like the only destination left for him. There also aren’t many other capable veteran quarterbacks available. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell was on the trade block, and according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, he’s been dealt to the Minnesota Vikings.
According to Schefter, the Vikings are receiving Howell and a fifth-round pick, No. 172 overall, from the Seahawks. In return, the Seahawks receive the Vikings’ fifth-round pick, which is No. 142 overall. The Seahawks move up and the Vikings get a backup quarterback behind 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
That takes one more quarterback option off the board for the Steelers. Howell was selected by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. He never quite looked like a high-level starter, and the Commanders traded him to the Seahawks in 2024.
Now, Howell has been moved again. He’s still a young player, only 24 years old. He might not ever be a full-time starter, but maybe he can have a nice career as a backup. For the Steelers, he could’ve competed with Mason Rudolph, but that is no longer an option.
However, this might not totally eliminate the Vikings from the Rodgers sweepstakes. Howell isn’t competition for McCarthy. If anything happens to McCarthy, or if he doesn’t impress, maybe they’ll consider Rodgers. The Vikings seem committed to McCarthy, though, and have reportedly been out on Rodgers.
This does leave the Steelers with few options left at quarterback. Any rookies remaining in the draft likely won’t push Rudolph for the starting spot. They might be stuck waiting for Rodgers. Reportedly, they wanted an answer from him before the draft, but that did not happen.
Rodgers has made it clear he’s dealing with serious personal issues, so it’s uncertain when he’ll make a decision. Howell could’ve been an option for the Steelers, although there were never any serious reports that they were interested in him. Given that he’d feel more like a lateral move compared to Rudolph, that makes sense. And so the wait for Rodgers continues.
