Pittsburgh Steelers fans dislike the word "rebuild" even more than they dislike their AFC North rivals. This isn't surprising, given the team has been a powerhouse for about 50 years and is tied for the most Super Bowl titles with six. While they may not like it, the reality is that all teams have rebuilding periods; no one team stays at the top of the NFL forever.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker, Alex Highsmith (56).
Players eventually have to be replaced, and finding the most elite of the elite is no easy task. The Steelers have never had a losing season under Head Coach Mike Tomlin, so they never pick near the top of the draft class without trading up.
On a recent episode of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Christopher Carter's podcast, Locked On Steelers, Carter talked about General Manager Omar Khan and the franchise's future. Carter said he appreciates how calculated Khan has been with his draft and free agency selections. He thinks all of this speaks to a bigger plan.
This is especially true with the Steelers quarterback situation. A fan asked Carter if he thinks Justin Fields has a shot at being the long-term quarterback in Pittsburgh and if Russell Wilson is just a stop-gap. To Carter, fans might be looking at this too narrowly; he is looking well beyond the 2024 season.
"I don't think the Steelers are banking on either direction. I think they are laying out multiple paths to choose when they get to those points, so they are not overly committed."
Carter said he sees three potential roads right now: Wilson could perform well and get offered a contract to stay, Fields could surpass Wilson to start and get a shot to stay, or the team could look to stock their assets for a new quarterback. Most fans aren't seeing beyond Wilson and Fields, but Carter sees that third option as more likely and more interesting than most people realize.
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Steelers QBs Russell Wilson (3) and Justin Fields (2) look on during practice.
That means that Wilson and Fields are both just "bridges to the future" from Khan. Carter said that Khan knows how to make smart decisions that set the team up for long-term success. Khan wouldn't put himself into a position to have only two choices when you've seen neither one in black and gold and you're running a new offense.
"I actually think what Omar Khan is primarily doing here, is he's building the roster so the real answer might end up being option number three. I think that might be the ultimate plan for the Steelers because it might put them in a position that opens up the best window we have seen for quite some time for them to be real Super Bowl contenders. 2025 doesn't look like a great class, but what about 2026? That is the year we might see the next solid quarterback draft, including Arch Manning."
To all the fans who groaned when they read Arch Manning and immediately screamed, "Inconceivable" in their heads, Carter disagrees. He thinks the Steelers are doing all of the leg work to make something like this possible. During the past few drafts, Khan has been building up the offensive trenches by drafting the missing offensive linemen needed for a successful push upfront. He has improved the team's defense and filled in weak areas.
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Texas QB Arch Manning.
Carter said that with how they have built up the team these past few seasons, they will have the capital available to obtain a player like Manning without totally tanking during the season. They can trade away draft capital because they won't have as many significant needs.
Steelers Have Done This Before
Carter said this wouldn't be the first time Pittsburgh did something like this. While the team did not trade up to get Ben Roethlisberger, they had begun setting pieces to be ready when they found their next franchise quarterback.
Before selecting Roethlisberger, the team had a strong offensive line and a stacked defense. They were also working on creating a punishing run game. While neither Wilson nor Fields may be the quarterback of the future, they benefit from the team-building constructs that make everyone better.
What do you think the ultimate plan is? Is there a real shot at Manning? Click to comment below.
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