Free agency continues, and the Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t have a starting quarterback. They haven’t seemed interested in bringing back Russell Wilson and are waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make his decision. There remains a chance the Steelers wind up with none of their desired options once free agency is over and done with. If that’s the case, ESPN’s Chris Canty thinks Brock Purdy is somebody the Steelers could call the 49ers about.
“It was prime Ben Roethlisberger, and prime Terry Bradshaw, and a lot of mediocre in between those guys,” Canty said Thursday of the Steelers’ QB situation over the years, via Unsportsmanlike. “They’re not great at being able to find quarterbacks. And the San Francisco 49ers are already gutting themselves. So it [Purdy] feels like a phone call you should make. They’ll probably tell you ‘Hell nah’. But at least you make the phone call.”
Canty suggesting that the 49ers would quickly turn down an offer for Purdy is probably true. Purdy is somewhat of a polarizing player for football fans. As the last pick in the 2022 draft, he’s had quite a nice career for himself, including two NFC Championship Game appearances and one Super Bowl appearance. However, some also argue that he’s more of a product of the offensive system he’s in than anything else.
All in all, it seems like the 49ers themselves are high on him. However, things aren’t always that simple. With an aging roster and a lot of money tied up in some key players, San Francisco has shed itself of several players this offseason. Could Purdy find himself in that group? He has one year remaining on his current deal. Before the 2024 season, it felt like a lock that he’d receive a massive extension. He didn’t have a bad year at all, but the team as a whole took a step back. With that in mind, would the 49ers consider moving him?
It doesn’t feel likely, and it’s not something Steelers fans should get their hopes up about. However, it is a sign of where the organization is right now. Although the Steelers brought back Mason Rudolph on Thursday, there’s not much of an answer in terms of a starting-caliber player at quarterback.
Until that hole is filled, expect to hear more players like Purdy have their name thrown out as potential Steelers QB candidates. Even if they might not be the most likely.
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