The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Plan A at quarterback seems to be Aaron Rodgers. But if he doesn’t return, things get a bit murkier. The Steelers seem to have a lot of faith in Will Howard, but that’s a big question mark, one some around the league think the Steelers may be bluffing on. It’s not the most exciting market, but there are other options out there at the position. Including one that hasn’t really been connected to the Steelers at all in Daniel Jones.
Jones had a terrific start to the season with the Indianapolis Colts last year. But it was cut short after he tore his Achilles midseason. Now, Jones is in a complicated situation. Ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, the Colts decided to place the transition tag on Jones, per Adam Schefter.
Another tag: The Colts are placing the transition tag on QB Daniel Jones, per sources. The transition tag is $37.833M, more than $6M cheaper than the QB franchise tag, but gives Jones the opportunity to sign an offer sheet with another team that Indianapolis would then have the… pic.twitter.com/eLmqLB5ZgH
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2026
As Schefter writes, Jones is able to sign an offer sheet with another team. The Colts would then decide whether to match that offer or not. But rather than returning to Indianapolis, ESPN’s Chris Canty thinks Jones would make sense in Pittsburgh.
“I don’t think it’s a mistake if he decided he wanted to go play in Pittsburgh. I would say that regime is on more solid footing than the one that he currently plays for,” Canty said Tuesday on Unsportsmanlike. “‘So if the Pittsburgh guys decide that they have confidence in me to be their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, why would I not want to go to that program?'”
Taking on quarterback reclamation projects has grown around the league, thanks to the likes of Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. And it’s not an unfamiliar idea in Pittsburgh. The Steelers reportedly had interest in Darnold last offseason, as he was coming off the first terrific year of his career with Minnesota. Daniel Jones is in a similar situation, having a career season in Indianapolis before the injury.
However, it’s now the second severe injury Jones has suffered in his NFL career, having also torn his ACL when he was with the New York Giants. He should be ready for the start of training camp, but we’ve seen how debilitating Achilles injuries can be. It takes a while for quarterbacks to feel comfortable again. For Jones, the process of getting comfortable could stretch well into the 2026 season.
His market will be interesting. Malik Willis may command a lot of money, and however much he gets could have an impact on Daniel Jones. If Jones ends up being too expensive, the Steelers could just opt to roll with Howard or draft a quarterback. But if the price is right, and the Steelers don’t have many other options, Jones could be a name to consider.
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