There was last-minute hype around the Pittsburgh Steelers taking a quarterback at the top of the NFL Draft. That didn't happen, and they waited until the sixth round to take Will Howard. The front office addressed the position to a point, but there is no clear starter on the roster. Expect the team to add a veteran signal-caller as a free agent or on the trade market.
Aaron Rodgers remains the singular focus of Pittsburgh as they await his decision. If he decides not to join the team by training camp, other options could become a stop-gap starter for the Steelers. Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin have gone all-in with Rodgers, and missing out on him would be a bad look. It appears he will sign eventually; it's just a matter of if, not when.
If Rodgers doesn't join the Steelers, they could have some fallback choices.
Teams across the NFL seem ready to move on from different quarterbacks. Either they have a rookie to start or want to go in another direction. Pittsburgh has options, which they could search high and low for to land their final arm for training camp.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' search for their final QB could morph into a dizzy conclusion
Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
No one would be thrilled with adding Will Levis from the Tennessee Titans via trade. He isn't a good starter and seems to have been overdrafted. The Titans took Cam Ward first in the draft, which means Levis will have no shot at being their starter. Mason Rudolph swapped starting duties with Levis last year in Tennessee, and Pittsburgh might be willing to make this gamble.
Levis has all the athleticism in the world, but he hasn't translated that into good play. He has starting experience and could progress further as a signal caller. The Steelers adding Levis in a transaction would cost next to nothing. The Titans seem eager to move on from this player. Adding Levis wouldn't be great, but he can push Rudolph for the starting job and be comfortable as their backup if needed.
Aaron Rodgers, Free agent
Like him or not, Aaron Rodgers is by far the best option on this list. Most insiders of the NFL have been reporting that Rodgers to the Steelers seems cut and dry. Pittsburgh skipping on the position early in the NFL Draft shows how confident they are that the future Hall of Famer will join the team. He is dealing with some personal matters, which have slowed things down.
Rodgers must decide soon despite his off-the-field duties.
Ideally, Rodgers would decide before OTAs (organized team activities) start on May 27. It would give Rodgers and his new teammates a chance to start bonding and forming cohesion. Without him being there, many will question whether he will sign with the organization. People in Pittsburgh are tired of hearing about the aging quarterback, but he's still the favorite to start.
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
No matter if you love it or hate it, Kirk Cousins will be their second choice if Rodgers declines. He might not be in his prime, but Cousins should be a better bridge quarterback than Rudolph or Howard. The veteran quarterback remains with the Atlanta Falcons despite them doing their best to remove his putrid contract. Moving that contract via trade will be costly for the Falcons.
Pittsburgh might be desperate for a signal caller, but they won't overpay for Cousins in a deal. Atlanta would have to float most of the bill for the remainder of his contract. If they do that for a late-round pick swap, the Steelers could stomach this move. Cousins shouldn't be their first option, and he isn't. If Rodgers decides to hang up his cleats, Cousins could get them through this season.
