The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the more intriguing teams in the league as the 2025 NFL Draft quickly approaches. The franchise does not have a starting quarterback on the roster, and the organization is patiently waiting for a decision from Aaron Rodgers about his future. By the time Day 1 of the draft rolls around, Rodgers could be retired, and the Steelers could be preparing for Mason Rudolph to be the team's starting quarterback. A situation like this could make General Manager Omar Khan more desperate to draft a rookie quarterback, which the franchise has already done its homework on.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan talks on the phone during a practice in the Steel City.
The Steelers are in no position to draft one of the top quarterbacks coming into the league. Pittsburgh has the 21st overall selection, and Cam Ward will more than likely be the first overall pick to the Tennessee Titans. Behind him will be Shedeur Sanders, but many believe he could slide down the board. He is closely graded to the third quarterback in the draft, Jaxson Dart, and there is a realistic chance that one of them is on the board when Pittsburgh is making its first selection of the event.
If Sanders begins to fall, the idea has been brought up that the Steelers could consider moving up in the draft to select him. This would obviously be a bold move, as it could mean the Steelers jumping from 21 all the way up to the fourth overall pick. Former Steelers safety and current analyst for ESPN, Ryan Clark believes this is the type of move Khan would make, which he made clear on NFL Live on Friday.
"I think that move would be something that makes sense for Omar Khan," Clark said. "Omar Khan has worked the general manager position in Pittsburgh like no one ever has. He's been aggressive. You go out, and you get DK Metcalf to add to George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth. I think this is what you have to do."
The main scenario being discussed among many pundits is Ward getting selected first, then the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants deciding to go with Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter in some order. This puts the New England Patriots in a weird spot with the fourth overall pick as they do not need a quarterback, which would probably make it more beneficial for them to trade back.
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Shedeur Sanders speaks with his Pro Football Hall of Fame father, Deion Sanders during his time at Colorado.
The Steelers could also hold off on trading up for the fourth overall pick. If Sanders slides past the Browns and Giants, there is a good chance he can slide even further. If Pittsburgh wants to wait and see if he slides into the mid-teens somewhere, that might make the most sense. This way the franchise can preserve some draft capital, while also insuring itself a bit if the pick turns out to be a disaster.
Sanders is not some generational talent, but teams do dumb things when they are desperate for a quarterback. Khan has been aggressive so far in his tenure as general manager, but hopefully his moves are calculated come April.
Steelers Should Not Risk Making A Trade On Draft Night
If the Steelers have the itch to make a trade on draft night, it should be a trade back into the second round for additional draft capital. This draft is not top-heavy, but it is deep. The quarterbacks that are projected to go in the first round are fairly close talent-wise to the quarterbacks that will hear their name called on Day 2. Pittsburgh cannot ruin its future by giving up an arm and a leg for Sanders when there is a very real chance that he will be a bust in the NFL.
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Both Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart are considered to be first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
If Pittsburgh wants one of the top quarterbacks, it needs to sit back and wait to see if Dart, or even Sanders, falls to it at 21. This is not the draft to be aggressive, but rather to be mindful and think about the organization's future.
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