The Pittsburgh Steelers met with quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders on Thursday. The team is still without a starting quarterback for the upcoming season, and should the team resort to the draft for a signal-caller, landing Sanders could be their best-case scenario. While other names such as Jaxon Dart and Jalen Milroe have been thrown around, both are secondary to Sanders according to many pundits -- who is regarded as the second-best quarterback in the entire draft class behind Cam Ward.
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Former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders holds up his wrist in celebration after a big win.
On Thursday, former NFL defensive lineman Chris Canty said in an appearance on ESPN's Unsportsmanlike that Sanders would be a difference maker in Pittsburgh. Canty says the Steelers have had a bad overall quarterback rating for the last few years, and that Sanders could be the one to bring consistency to the team. The Steelers have struggled to find a reliable signal-caller since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. Sanders is no doubt franchise quarterback material and, if drafted, would hopefully be the Steelers' signal-caller for many seasons to come.
"What has eluded them is being able to have a difference maker on the offensive side of the ball. They've got to be able to get more firepower on the offense. They've been in the bottom-third over the last half-decade when it comes to overall QBR. Something about that has to change. It feels like Shedeur Sanders would be the perfect fit for that."
Throughout the offseason, the Steelers have primarily focused on bolstering their offense. How well would a rookie like Sanders be able to utilize the offensive tools at his disposal is still up for debate.
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Steelers' DK Metcalf running a route on a Hail Mary play during the 2020 season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Should Sanders be drafted to the Steelers, he would have plenty of weapons on offense, such as star receivers DK Metcalf and George Pickens. Canty says Sanders would be able to make the most of the Steelers' offensive targets.
"They've got DK Metcalf and George Pickens on the outside, Pat Freiermuth at the tight end spot. Those are three legitimate good receivers in the National Football League."
Despite Sanders' first-round stock as a prospect, he will have lots to prove once he's drafted into the NFL. The Steelers' increasingly scary offense could give the young quarterback the tools he needs to thrive.
The Steelers have spent much of their offseason bolstering their offense, despite not having a young quarterback to build it around. It's a risky move, but one that could have been done to make Pittsburgh a more attractive landing place for veteran quarterbacks.
Steelers Continue To Hold Out For Aaron Rodgers
The biggest undecided factor influencing whether or not the Steelers draft Sanders, or any quarterback in the first-round of the draft, could be where Aaron Rodgers will land. The Steelers are seemingly confident that Rodgers will sign with Pittsburgh, being patient as they wait for the quarterback to make a decision. However, there is still no news from Rodgers. As the draft draws closer, the Steelers may be inclined to draft a rookie high, rather than wait for Rodgers for much longer.
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Former New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers.
With Sanders now being projected to fall in the draft, the Steelers have better chances than ever before to land the quarterback. Despite Rodgers' age, it's hard to imagine the veteran playing backup to a rookie quarterback. Sanders is also a starter-capable player, and it's unlikely that any team that drafts him will make him play backup. It's hard to imagine both quarterbacks co-existing on a single team. It may come down to a choice between Rodgers and drafting a prospect like Sanders.
Rodgers may be the Steelers' first choice, but they aren't opposed to exploring their options. Maybe the Steelers meeting with Sanders on Thursday will give Rodgers more urgency to make a decision, but it's unclear at this time.
Do you think that Sanders is the perfect fit for Pittsburgh? Do you think that the Steelers will draft Sanders? Let us know in the comments.
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