Coming into the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers knew they’d have to make their first-round pick count. Obviously, that’s something you’d want to do every year. The 2025 draft is different for Pittsburgh, though. The Steelers traded their second-round pick in exchange for DK Metcalf, leaving them with only two selections in the top 100. Pittsburgh wound up using that first-rounder on Derrick Harmon, who looks like a great selection. However, the Steelers’ need for a QB becomes much more pressing now.
That’s something Dalton Wasserman took notice of, reacting to the pick live on Pro Football Focus’ YouTube channel on Thursday night. Wasserman thinks the Steelers may be out of luck when it comes to addressing the position on the second day of the draft.
“There’s no way they can be comfortable with where they’re at right now,” Wasserman said. “They don’t have a shot to me unless they trade the rest of their draft, they don’t have a shot at [Jalen] Milroe…They don’t pick until (No.) 83.”
There certainly will be some talented quarterbacks available on Day 2. Only Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart heard their names called in the first round. Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe, Tyler Shough and several others are on the board heading into Friday.
Unfortunately, there’s a decent chance the cream of that crop will be gone by the time the Steelers go on the clock next toward the end of the third round. Yet is there a chance they move back into the second round?
On Wednesday, we reported that George Pickens had unfollowed the Steelers on Instagram. On its own, that doesn’t sound like much. Given the context around Pickens, though, it could be a big deal. He’s been in trade rumors all week. The idea of trading him would make sense, with 2025 representing the final year of his rookie deal. His new teammate, DK Metcalf, already has a long-term contract extension as well.
If Pickens is to find a new home, that move would come Friday. And if the Steelers take a QB during the draft, it would most likely be Friday, unless there’s a serious slide at the position. This isn’t to say that Pickens will be traded, but given the Steelers’ lack of overall draft capital, that feels like their best scenario to get back into the second round.
Or the Steelers might not care at all. They could be happy to continue waiting on Aaron Rodgers, or scan the QB market after the draft, when things become clearer around the league. For now, as Wasserman argues, they’re in a tough spot if drafting a QB truly is something they want to do.
