The Pittsburgh Steelers are at risk of falling off the quarterback carousel entirely if they aren't careful in free agency.
New York Giants Quarterback Daniel Jones (8)
The Pittsburgh Steelers will once again try to reshape the quarterback room with the hopes of ending its playoff win drought. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields exceeded expectations, but weren’t quite good enough to do so in 2024. Now, there’s a chance neither returns.
Approximately six teams need new starting quarterbacks, and without a crop of elite passing prospects, teams may be in a rush to sign both of Pittsburgh’s 2024 starters.
That could quickly leave a team with moderate competitive aspirations without a solution under center. Largely seen as out of range for a first-round passer, things could get messy in a flash.
So messy, potentially, that one insider paired the Steelers with their worst-case scenario at quarterback. In The Athletic’s quarterback predictions, Pittsburgh signs former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and draft Louisville’s Tyler Shough on Day 2.
“I don’t think the Steelers will pick a quarterback in the first round,” Zack Rosenblatt wrote. “Jones would be an interesting low-cost flier, as he could be a good fit in Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense, and Pittsburgh would be the best environment he’s been in as a starter in terms of culture, coaching and talent around him. Pairing Jones with a developmental Day 2 or Day 3 prospect would be a way of taking two shots at finding a starter — and Shough has some intriguing potential because of his size (6-5) and athleticism, though he has an injury history and will be 26 in the fall.”
Jones has at times been compared to Fields – the fleeting moments of competence, the ability to aid the run game, the underperforming first-round expectations. But what has Jones done to earn a (presumably) guaranteed starting job? He was among the worst quarterbacks in football over the last two seasons and finished the year on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad.
He might be a fit, but it’s a much cleaner proposition if he’s signing on as the Steelers’ backup.
Shough, meanwhile, does have some intriguing traits, blending athleticism and arm talent to create tangible upside. But with poor play under pressure and development needed within structure in the quick game, he’s hardly a safe bet, either.
Pittsburgh has tested the limits of mediocre quarterbacking before. But with more proven quantities available in free agency, it’d be better for all involved if the Steelers pay up for a passer whose median outcome isn’t among the worst in the sport.
Perhaps that’s Sam Darnold, or Derek Carr, should he be released. Even Jimmy Garoppolo makes sense after his time spent behind Matthew Stafford. Starting Jones, though, is a dare to the fanbase to find more fruitful ways to spend their Sundays.
