Another offseason, another Pittsburgh Steelers QB search. They have, with a lack of other options, been enamored with Aaron Rodgers. That’s partly because the free agent market is extremely dry at the position. Fortunately, that’s not the only route available to the Steelers. While the 21st overall pick makes it hard for them, there are a few promising prospects in the draft. Cam Ward will likely be off the board within the first couple of selections. However, Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart are two quarterbacks who may be available for Pittsburgh.
Sanders is the consensus second-best QB in the class, but there’s potential for him to slide down the board next month. If he does, that’s excellent news for the Steelers, according to former NFL GM Mike Mayock.
“If Shedeur slides down, No. 6, 7, 9, anywhere in there, you know Jaxon Dart gets pushed back, Pittsburgh feels better,” Mayock said Monday on The Rich Eisen Show.
What the Steelers do during the draft, especially relating to the quarterback position, will vary greatly on whatever ends up developing with Rodgers. If he doesn’t sign, the Steelers will have to prepare for the reality of Mason Rudolph being their Week 1 starter in 2025. In that case, they may feel pressure to upgrade through the draft. If Rodgers does sign with the Steelers, they’ll be less desperate for a QB, especially in the first round.
That said, the Steelers know they have to target the position early in the draft soon. That could happen this year, but it’s a relatively weak class at the position, and the Steelers are in the bottom half of the first round.
Thus, the Steelers would be extremely happy if Sanders slides on draft day. Dart has always looked like the more likely choice for Pittsburgh, simply because of where it is drafting. The further Sanders slides, the more likely Dart ends up available for Pittsburgh.
This has already been a peculiar offseason. The draft should only make things even stranger. It’s a class that’s deep in talent, but there’s not a ton of star talent near the top of it. Because of that, nobody really knows how things will play out once the Titans go on the clock.
The Titans, as well as teams like the Browns and Giants, could take those QBs off the board in the first three selections. Coincidentally, the Browns and Giants are also in the rumor mill regarding Rodgers and Russell Wilson. There are so many different ways the QB carousel can shake out over the next month. If Shedeur Sanders slides on draft day, though, the Steelers will consider themselves lucky.
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