We've officially made it into the spring without the Pittsburgh Steelers having a starting quarterback. Yes, Mason Rudolph was re-signed and yes, he could become the guy if all else fails, but it's clear to see that Mike Tomlin will wait for however long it takes to land Aaron Rodgers. When will that wait end? It's very unclear at this point, but Tomlin hinted that it should be resolved before Organized Team Activities (OTAs) begin in May.
KEVIN R. WEXLER / USA TODAY
Aaron Rodgers throws a pass during the 2024 season for the New York Jets.
What we know for certain is that regardless of Rodgers joining the Steelers for 2025, the team is still in dire need of their next franchise quarterback. This has been the case since Ben Roethlisberger walked off the field for the final time in January of 2022. Since then, it's been a revolving door of failed quarterback experiments. They've signed Russell Wilson, and Mitchell Trubisky, traded for Justin Fields, and potentially set the franchise back for many seasons by drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Now the Steelers are entering another NFL Draft potentially with their eyes set on drafting another quarterback in the first round. The only problem is that just like the 2022 class, the 2025 class is considered to be very poor. It's headlined by Cam Ward, and Shedeur Sanders who are likely to be top five selections. However, both of those players likely would've been the fourth or fifth quarterbacks selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. All of that considered, it doesn't seem like Tomlin feels the same way as draft pundits, and many other analysts. Tomlin spoke to this on Monday.
"It doesn't appear to be devoid of talent," Tomlin said speaking to the media from the NFL's Annual League meetings. "I like a lot of the guys that I've met. Not only their tangible qualities, but their intangible qualities. And so, I'm feeling really good about the trajectory of the group."
Tomlin reportedly had an exclusive dinner with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe last week on the eve of his Pro Day.
Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
Former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe celebrates after a big time score.
They've also met with Ole Miss quarterback Jaxon Dart on multiple occasions. Those meetings included a visit to Pittsburgh by Dart last week for an intimate meeting with the Pittsburgh brass. Dart is an interesting prospect that has shot up draft boards across the NFL in recent months. Following the conclusion of the NCAA football year, many believed Dart would be a third-round selection, but recently there is plenty of talk about him going in the first round. Long time ESPN draft expert, Mel Kiper, had Dart being selected by the New Orleans Saints at pick #9 in his latest mock draft.
When asked further about the possibility of drafting a quarterback in the first round, Tomlin wouldn't close the door on any scenario.
Mike Tomlin on the possibility of drafting a QB as high as first round: "I wouldn't close the door on any component of acquisition at that position."
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) March 31, 2025
The other quarterback to this point that has visited Pittsburgh is Louisville's Tyler Shough. The big knock on Shough is that he will be 26 this year. To put that into prospective, he used to back-up Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert at Oregon, and he was in the same recruiting class as Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Louisville Athletics
Tyler Shough after a game with Louisville.
Age was also a knock, but not as big of one for Pickett. He turned 24 right after being picked by Pittsburgh, and in a league where you want to get the most out of your quarterback in terms of longevity, it's a drop in value when they're already two or three years older than another prospect.
Steelers Blowing Smoke?
There has been a lot of talk from Tomlin, and General Manager Omar Khan regarding the quarterbacks with the glaring hole. However, they've seemed to show moderate interest in a handful of quarterbacks. Supposedly, they love Ohio State's Will Howard and have checked in on Notre Dame's Riley Leonard. Howard has even spoke about wanting to come to Pittsburgh because it's close to home. Either of those guys could be in play towards the end of Day 2 or beginning of Day 3. All of this could be a smoke screen however, especially with Rodgers most likely signing with Pittsburgh and being the starting quarterback for 2025. That would buy them a year and get them to the 2026 NFL Draft which is considered a very strong class. Oh, and not to mention the draft is in Pittsburgh in 2026. It would be story book for the team to draft their next franchise guy right there in front of the home crowd.
How do you feel about the Steelers possibly drafting a quarterback? Tell us in the comments.
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