What Could the Steelers Still do at Quarterback? Aaron Rodgers, Anthony Richardson, Brock Purdy or a Rookie

It seems like a foregone conclusion that Aaron Rodgers will end up signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers; so why hasn't it happened yet? The Steelers are the only quasi-contender who needs a quarterback, and Rodgers is the only guy on the free agent market who could truly make a difference.

There are surely financials to work out, among other things; it's not as easy as just signing a contract. Rodgers probably wants to get paid somewhere near the top flight of QBs, even though he won't play to that level. It's hard to picture him coming in for less than the $20-ish million guaranteed maximum that Russell Wilson got with the Giants, but the team probably isn't itching to throw $40-50 million at a guy who is well past his prime.

Some still theorize that he is holding out for the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota probably has a better Super Bowl chance than Pittsburgh does (though it's close), and he would get to play against his old team, where there might still be some rough feelings. The Vikes would likely be better off moving on to their first-round pick in waiting, J.J. McCarthy, but football teams do funny things sometimes.

With the Steelers in a place where their upside at quarterback will dictate much about how far they can go in the playoffs, they could also be looking at other options to upgrade their QB room. Even if Rodgers signs, the team might not be done, like last season when they signed Wilson after trading for Justin Fields from Chicago.

That could come in the form of a rookie quarterback, or the team could keep sniffing around to try to upgrade to a point that makes them a true contender. Options are slim at this point in the offseason, but creative teams can make things happen, especially at the most important position.

Let's look at some realistic, bold, and downright fun moves that Pittsburgh could make in their pursuit of stability under center. This will include veterans, rookies, and sleeper trade targets.

Sign Aaron Rodgers

We touched on this above, and it's the easy move. There's not much more to say; Rodgers to the Steelers is the most likely outcome.

Draft Jaxson Dart No. 21 overall

Dart is widely seen as the third quarterback who will go off the board, maybe as early as Round 1. Teams will do things outside of their comfort zone to try to fill the spot under center, and that includes overdrafting a guy in hopes that he hits.

This didn't go well for the Steelers back in 2022 with Kenny Pickett, as the former 20th overall pick was sent out of town after two seasons and is now in Cleveland, where nothing good happens to quarterbacks. Pickett was seen as a possible first rounder but far from a lock, and he was the only one at his position who went in the first round. It hasn't worked out for the other guys who were mentioned as possible first-round picks that year either, but Pickett hurts the most because of where he was taken.

That shouldn't stop the team from drafting Dart if they think he can be a starter, but there are going to be a lot of really good football players available at the 21st pick, and Pittsburgh would miss out on them by reaching for a quarterback. Dart is a risky pick that the team might not want to replicate just a few years removed from the Pickett debacle.

Draft a QB on Day 2 or 3

This would be more about a developmental quarterback than a guy who would start in 2025. Players in this range do start right away sometimes, and guys like Wilson and Dak Prescott have had quick success, but those are exceptions, not the rule.

The most likely outcome might be the Steelers double-dipping and drafting a developmental guy after signing Rodgers. That would give them their best chance at competing in 2025 and finding a guy who could take over as early as next year (or at least compete for the spot).

Pittsburgh traded their second-round pick for receiver DK Metcalf, so the earliest they could make this move without a trade is the 83rd pick. Louisville's Tyler Shough, Alabama's Jalen Milroe, Ohio State's Will Howard, and Texas' Quinn Ewers are seen as the best of the rest of the quarterbacks after the top three and could all be available in the third round.

Trade up for one of the top two quarterbacks

Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders are projected as high as the top two picks, so it's hard to expect one of them to slide too far. That would mean a massive move up the board to grab one of these players.

The Steelers would have to seriously overpay to move up with division rival Cleveland at No. 2, probably sending their next two first-round picks along with one or two Day 2 picks (and maybe more added in the late rounds heading either way). The more likely scenario would be the team moving up if Sanders slides.

To get to the sixth spot (currently occupied by the Raiders), Pittsburgh could trade their first-round pick in 2026 and have it be a pretty close match by the Jimmy Johnson draft value chart. A 2026 fourth-round pick could head back the Steelers' way to even things out, but paying an extra premium would probably be part of the package if they were moving up for a QB and Vegas was falling 15 spots.

Their third-round pick and next year's second might get them up to No. 10 (Chicago); just that future second could get them to 12 (Dallas). It's unlikely that Sanders will slide that far, but if he does, the Steelers could have a realistic shot at moving up to draft him. They would probably be more likely to send a major package instead, though, centered around two first-round picks to move into the top five.

Trade for Anthony Richardson

There are two veteran options that are interesting in the trade market for different reasons. Let's start with Richardson, who is entering his third season and might be falling out of favor with the Colts.

Richardson appeared in just four games as a rookie due to several injuries. That rose to 11 last season, but he dealt with health issues again and was benched for a few games after checking himself out of a game. It's been a less-than-stellar start for Richardson.

He's far from done, but if Richardson can't win a training camp battle with Daniel Jones, then there are serious doubts about his future as a starting quarterback in this league. Maybe this move wouldn't happen until during camp, so Pittsburgh would have probably already made an addition or two (Rodgers or the draft).

If they wanted to tempt the Colts early, though, maybe the Steelers could dangle their 21st pick for Richardson and see what kind of deal they could construct. A conditional 2026 second rounder that could become a first might be more realistic, but that might not be satisfactory for either team.

This is an unlikely deal that would be fun if the team chose to take a big swing on a guy who was drafted fourth overall two years ago.

Trade for Brock Purdy

Instead of a young guy who might need a change of scenery, Purdy has been a star in his three seasons and is in line for a major extension. If Purdy's resume belonged to a top-five pick, like Richardson, he'd be lauded as a top QB. Instead, Purdy's true value is still in question because he was the last pick in the 2022 draft and played with maybe the best offensive coach in football.

San Francisco is likely to just sign Purdy and continue their current path. Their owner recently said that a big reason that so much talent walked out the door this offseason was because they were preparing to pay Purdy, so they probably aren't getting ready to trade him at this point.

If things stall and the Steelers make a major offer, though, maybe they could get the 49ers to consider a trade by overwhelming them with assets. They would also have to give Purdy a big new contract, which might lessen the draft capital needed, but San Fran would be giving up their QB when there aren't many replacements available, so they would have to be truly blown away.

What if they offered three first-round picks? Pittsburgh's No. 21 pick and their next two first rounders would add up in value to something like the top overall pick in an average draft. Would Tennessee trade the top overall pick straight up for Purdy knowing they'd have to give him a new contract? That's an interesting discussion (though I'd probably say no).

Conclusion

Pittsburgh has said they are comfortable going into the season with Mason Rudolph as their top quarterback; they are liars. That would be wildly disappointing for a talented roster that can compete for the playoffs.

While the most likely outcome is that they sign Rodgers and maybe draft a QB on Day 2 or 3, the Steelers could sniff around a bigger splash that would raise their ceiling in 2025. Watch for Dart with their first-round pick also, something that could happen even if they do sign Rodgers.