As things stand, the Pittsburgh Steelers are without a starting quarterback. Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have found greener pastures in East Rutherford. Mason Rudolph, returning after a stint with the Tennessee Titans, is poised to be the backup quarterback.
For now, though, he stands atop the depth chart, waiting for Aaron Rodgers to put pen to paper.
Rodgers is presumed to be the next quarterback domino to fall. He's taken a visit with Pittsburgh, worked out with receiver DK Metcalf, and frankly out of real options. However, it remains possible that Rodgers doesn't sign a contract with the Steelers, opting for retirement or a late-emerging team.
According to Adam Schefter, that won't be a problem addressed with a Round 1 quarterback.
"I can't imagine, nor could they, that Shedeur Sanders would somehow slip that far. Let me say for the record right now, despite speculation to the contrary, I will be surprised if the Pittsburgh Steelers take a quarterback in Round 1," Schefter said. "I don't think they're drafting a quarterback in Round 1. That's me based on conversations with a lot of different people."
Taking a quarterback that early would be a hasty mistake, especially if no Sanders free fall comes to fruition. Rolling the dice on Mississippi's Jaxson Dart or Alabama's Jalen Milroe is an ambitious risk on Day 1 and one Pittsburgh isn't well-positioned to take. The path out of quarterback purgatory is through low-risk maneuvers, not forced early-round selections.
General manager Omar Khan must still have a backup plan. Rudolph isn't equipped to pilot a team for 17 games, and other options are available if Khan gets creative enough.
The ESPN insider revealed the Steelers' "emergency" option would be Atlanta Falcons veteran Kirk Cousins.
"I also believe that the break-the-glass emergency plan for Pittsburgh, for Cleveland, for Minnesota if it doesn't have a backup, the break-the-glass emergency plan is you can always say ‘I'm gonna trade a draft choice to the Atlanta Falcons for Kirk Cousins,'" Schefter said. "You can always say ‘We're gonna take on some of his salary.' I think Kirk Cousins is sitting there as the break-the-glass emergency option for one of those teams."
Related: Tomlin Reveals Status of Potential Rodgers Signing
At the right cost, and with enough cap being sent to Atlanta, Cousins could write his closing chapter in Pittsburgh. He figures to give them at least as much potency as the passing offense had last season. Of course, there's risk in his profile. Cousins is entering his age-37 season with a torn Achilles not too far out of the rear-view mirror and a steep decline in 2024, potentially brought on by a shoulder injury.
The Steelers may have to compete with other teams for Cousins' services. But if there's no starting-caliber rookie and no Rodgers on the roster, 17 games of Cousins looks far more palatable than the alternatives at basically any fair price.
Related: How Would Round 1 QB Impact Steelers' Draft?
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This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 8:00 PM.
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