Other than Aaron Rodgers, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ options at quarterback are dwindling. With each week that passes, a veteran quarterback finds a new home. Outside of the draft, there aren’t many options left. Except for Tanner McKee, the Eagles’ backup quarterback, who a few analysts have connected to the Steelers.
The latest analyst is Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice, who believes the Steelers are the best possible destination for McKee.
“Another team…should trade for Tanner McKee, like more than anyone. And also, they’re in the AFC, with the NFC, that helps with that kind of trade with a quarterback,” Tice said Tuesday on his Football 301 podcast. “The most important position, you guys are just waving a white flag. And I think that’s really annoying, when you could have had a clear break, a really clear rip from all of this.”
No actual reporting has connected the Steelers to McKee. But Tice is one of a few analysts who have proposed the idea. Bill Barnwell made headlines after claiming the Steelers should trade Nick Herbig for McKee, and Conor Orr also believes Pittsburgh should consider making a move for Philadelphia’s backup.
McKee hasn’t had many chances in his young career, but he’s done well with his opportunities. He played in six games, starting two of them. McKee has a completion rate of 61.4 percent, 597 passing yards, five touchdown passes, one interception, and a passer rating of 99.5.
There are some reasons trading for Tanner McKee doesn’t make sense. For one, McKee’s rookie contract will end after the 2026 season. In a world where the Steelers do trade for and play McKee, they’d risk him testing the market next offseason.
It could also be redundant to have both McKee and Will Howard on the roster. Like McKee, Howard is a sixth-round pick. Although Howard has never taken an NFL snap, McKee’s two starts aren’t much bigger of a sample size. The franchise has spoken positively regarding Howard, and he has two more years of team control than McKee.
It might make sense to add him as another body to the quarterback room. After all, if Rodgers doesn’t return, the Steelers only have Howard and Mason Rudolph. But even with that in mind, the Steelers have 12 picks. They have every chance to draft a mid to late-round quarterback and develop them. A rookie quarterback would have three more years of team control than McKee.
Tanner McKee has done well with the limited chances he’s had. There’s a reason he’s one of the few backups whom analysts suggest trading for. Tice thinks he’d fit well in Pittsburgh, but it might not make perfect sense.
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