The Steelers now know it’s official — Ben Roethlisberger is retiring ahead of the 2022 NFL season and they need to replace him at quarterback. For now, their projected starter in the fall is No. 2 Mason Rudolph, with former Washington first-rounder Dwayne Haskins moving up to top backup.
It would be shocking for Pittsburgh, a 9-7-1 AFC wild-card playoff team, to have either under center for Week 1. Rudolph has shown little in fill-in flashes and Haskins is still a developmental project.
Knowing that and knowing the Steelers have top defensive potential and plenty of young offensive weapons around the QB — running back Najee Harris, wide receivers Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool and tight end Pat Freiermuth — getting the right QB, veteran or rookie, can make them Super Bowl contenders with a few offensive line upgrades.
GM Kevin Colbert isn’t one for blockbuster trades and has been solid building through the draft. But that philosophy might change to more win-now mode to boost coach Mike Tomlin, now 13 seasons removed from the team’s most recent ring.
Ranking all the options, from the biggest possible name to an uninspiring in-house decision:
1.Trade for Aaron Rodgers
Pittsburgh lost to Rodgers and the Packers in Super Bowl 45. Just like the Steelers have been waiting for another ring since Super Bowl 43, Rodgers is getting frustrated about not being able to get to another Super Bowl with Green Bay.
Rodgers already shared a viral smile with Tomlin. Would they share the sidelines soon? With the Tom Brady effect for the Buccaneers and Matthew Stafford’s impact on the Rams, the Steelers should be thinking about the ultimate instant major upgrade. Rodgers would love a team that can win now, save for some holes that need to be addressed in pass protection and run blocking.
Colbert tends to be conservative — which has worked well with Big Ben — but when someone of Rodgers’ caliber is on the fence about his current successful team, it’s worth making the call and thinking about making a competitive offer. Should Rodgers decide he’s done with the Packers, it’s a no-brainer this is avenue No. 1 for the Steelers to replace Roethlisberger.
2. Trade up for a QB in the first round
The Steelers pick No. 20 overall to begin the 2022 NFL Draft. That might put them out of range for the three QBs battling for the top spot in the class: Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, Liberty’s Malik Willis and Ole Miss’ Matt Corral. Pickett has the most appeal because of his pocket-passing prowess and downfield accuracy, on top of the local angle.
Colbert will move up for the right player and there’s a chance one of those three will slip a bit and get the Steelers within range of landing one as the preferred new franchise passer, much like they did with Roethlisberger at No. 11 overall in 2004.
3. Stay put for a QB in the first round
The Steelers need to worry about three teams most taking a QB ahead of them — the Panthers, Broncos and Washington. The Texans, Giants, Falcons and Saints also could get into the mix. But it’s unlikely more than three passers will be taken before No. 20.
Two prospects that should be firmly on Pittsburgh’s radar are Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder and North Carolina’s Sam Howell. There’s also some growing buzz on Nevada’s Carson Strong being worthy of that range. There’s no defined first or second tier of QBs in the draft yet. All six of the most intriguing prospects have a chance to make noise in the predraft process and turn a perceived weak class into a strong one (no pun intended).
4. Trade for Russell Wilson
Rodgers and the Steelers get the edge in the options, but Wilson and the Steelers also will have appeal via the big veteran deal route. Wilson is contemplating his future in Seattle and, like Rodgers, wants to associate with a top organization and coach with the ability to win something big right away as he seeks his second ring.
It’s easy to see Wilson re-creating something with Tomlin that he once had with Pete Carroll. Between the upside of the running game, Johnson and Claypool, there are familiar elements Wilson has with the Seahawks, but the Steelers can help him more with a preferred passing scheme.
5. Trade for Deshaun Watson
There’s a big asterisk that comes with this, given the massive off-field cloud hanging over Watson. Purely in terms of an on-field quarterback who can increase the Steelers’ offense big-time, there’s no doubt Watson can fit that bill. This would require Colbert and Tomlin to have an extremely high comfort level and for the Texans not to make unreasonable demands, two gigantic ifs.
6. Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo
Knock Jimmy G for not being in the elite tier of QBs, more in the above-average range, but he’s on the cusp of helping the 49ers get to a second Super Bowl in three seasons. He won’t require the same compensation as Rodgers, Wilson or Watson, allowing the Steelers flexibility to shore up more things in the draft and free agency. Garoppolo tends to execute well with a strong supporting cast, something Pittsburgh can give him, with the bonus backing of the pass-rushing defense.
7. Draft a QB in the second round
The Steelers need to wait to pick again at No. 52 overall in the second round after No. 20, but should they see Ridder, Howell or Strong drop out of the first after they draft a top offensive lineman first, it would be easier to catch a falling star by giving up less future capital. It’s just hard to predict how things will break with the QB class, but this could work out nicely for the Steelers to lift a young passer into immediate success, a la the Patriots with Mac Jones.
8. Sign a free-agent bridge QB
The unsigned veterans for 2022 sound like a who’s who of recycled backups and recently fallen first-rounders. The first half of that includes Ryan Fitzpatrick Tyrod Taylor, Teddy Bridgewater, and former division rivals Andy Dalton and Joe Flacco. The second group features Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Mitchell Trubisky and, heck, even Cam Newton. The Steelers would disappoint everyone by going this route in a division with Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson rising and Baker Mayfield possibly rebounding.
9. Let Rudolph and Haskins compete for the job
This is the only worse option than investing a little money in a bridge QB. That would be doing nothing all and thinking either of these guys would caretake or playmake enough to win the games necessary to go from wild-card fading team to challenging again in the AFC North and the conference as a whole. Rudolph was OK for an occasional start. Haskins was OK for a flyer. But starting either would be disastrous.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.