Any Hope Of Steelers Drafting Alabama QB Jalen Milroe In 2025 Vehemently Shut Down

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not had a stable quarterback situation since the legendary Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. The Kenny Pickett situation went south relatively fast, which is why the organization ended up with Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen entering the 2024 campaign. While the team is 8-3 entering Week 12, questions remain about the future of the signal-caller position in 2025 and beyond. All three on the roster are set to be free agents, and it will be interesting to see if the franchise decides to try to bring one, two, or all three back.

The more attractive option to extend long-term is Fields because of his age and athleticism, but he hasn't exactly proven that he can be a legitimate franchise quarterback. Fields also may not be worth a massive contract. Wilson could absolutely earn himself one final big deal if the Steelers finish 2024 strong and win a playoff game for the first time since the 2016 season.

One option that will be on the table in 2025 regardless of who is or who is not re-signed will be the 2025 NFL Draft. ESPN published a recent mock draft that had Pittsburgh taking University of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. Team insider Mark Kaboly hosted a mailbag on X Monday, and gave his direct thoughts about the Steelers' signal-caller depth chart for 2025.

"Yeah, it’s Russell Wilson and Kyle Allen will be his backup," Kaboly wrote. "Now, they aren’t drafting Jalen Milroe, so forget about that."

Kaboly seems very confident that Pittsburgh wants Wilson back for the future, and that has been reported by others that have sources inside of the building as well. The Steelers have been very consistent in 2024, but Wilson will really need to perform down the stretch to earn a lucrative contract. It is reasonable to assume that the veteran is preferred over Fields as the organization hunts for a seventh Lombardi Trophy.

It would be exciting for Pittsburgh to draft a quarterback like Milroe, but there are too many other holes on the roster for the franchise to waste a first-rounder on a guy who won't see the field for several years, assuming Wilson is back in the black and gold. The Crimson Tide's starter has thrown for 38 touchdowns and 15 interceptions since the beginning of the 2023 season, and is on track to be selected within the first 32 picks come late April.

Given the demand for quarterbacks in today's NFL, it's very unlikely that Milroe falls into the 20s anyway, which is where the Steelers are slated to be picking if the season continues to go in a positive direction. There will be an organization that gets to draft and develop Milroe, but the chances that ESPN's mock draft comes even close to true isn't something for fans to buy into.

The question will remain throughout the 2024 campaign, however, about if Pittsburgh's front office is set on re-signing Wilson, or if the final six regular season games will truly be the deciding factor. According to Kaboly, it seems as if the team already has made its decision regarding the future, but a contract won't be negotiated in-season, so the fan base will have to wait it out.

Steelers Starting Veteran Quarterback Makes The Most Sense

Whether it is Wilson, or another proven veteran, Pittsburgh has a defense that has a championship-caliber style of play. It's no coincidence that most Super Bowl-winning teams have quarterbacks that already possess a lot of experience in the postseason. The AFC is a gauntlet and nothing will be easy now, or in the future, which is why Wilson is expected to return to the Steel City. That would most likely mean that Fields departs in free agency for a quarterback-needy organization.