ClutchPoints
Coming out of the 2025 NFL Draft, no team is in a more precarious situation than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still without a definitive starting quarterback, the Steelers are virtually guaranteed to return to the free agency market to address their pressing roster needs.
Despite making the playoffs in four of the last five seasons, Pittsburgh is in as clear a rebuilding state as any team in the league. However, after trading for DK Metcalf earlier in the offseason, the Steelers are hardly in a position to fully blow it up. As they look for their fourth starting quarterback in the last three years, time is slowly running out.
After trading for Metcalf, the Steelers brought in a seven-player draft class led by defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. Five of their seven players will join the defense, establishing a clear focus after making the big offensive splash in the trade market. Pittsburgh’s two offensive draft picks, Kaleb Johnson and Will Howard, addressed the team’s two most significant needs.
The Steelers received largely positive feedback on their draft selections, but still left Green Bay with more questions than answers that can only be answered in free agency. In his fourth offseason with the team, general manager Omar Khan enters the summer months with more work to do than any of his peers.
The Steelers continue to wait on Aaron Rodgers, but have to give up on that venture and revert to plan B. There is no hurry, as the remaining batch of quarterbacks is nothing teams are rushing to the phones for. However, Rodgers’ retirement announcement seems more likely with each passing day, which would eventually force Pittsburgh to scavenge for the next best option.
Many expected the Steelers to target a quarterback with the 21st pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, but they instead opted to address the backfield with running back Kaleb Johnson. Khan eventually took Howard in the sixth round. Some scouts like Howard as a potential dark horse player of the draft class, but he is far from prepared to step in and start on day one.
If the Steelers enter training camp without another veteran signal-caller, they will be forced to pencil in Mason Rudolph as their starter. Few teams know how poor an idea that would be than Pittsburgh. Starting Rudolph would be more acceptable if a more promising rookie sat behind him, but Howard is not the type of prospect a team can build around.
The options are slim, but veterans Carson Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater, Desmond Ridder and Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley would all be fine signings. Pittsburgh appears to still believe in the Rodgers plan, but it will soon be back on the market for yet another bridge quarterback.
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