Fox NFL insider Jay Glazer caused quite a stir when he reported that Mike Tomlin told him he does not want to start over with a rookie quarterback in 2022.  https://twitter.com/jayglazer/status/1447561830671454217?s=21  Glazer claims Tomlin prefers to go with a veteran if Ben Roethlisberger decides to retire after the season.  This should come as no surprise to anyone who follows the Steelers franchise.  This group has made it clear that they are all in on winning another title before the Tomlin/Colbert era comes to an end.  With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top five veterans who could be the Steelers quarterback in 2022:

5.  Deshaun Watson:

We were all-in on acquiring Deshaun Watson before all the allegations of sexual assault came out.  Now it seems like an insanely risky move for any franchise to make.  If he is somehow found innocent of all charges, there is no question the Steelers would be interested.  With Watson holding a no-trade clause, the decision on where he goes is entirely up to him.  We already now how much players around the league respect Mike Tomlin.  Could he force his way to Pittsburgh?  Stranger things have happened, stay tuned.

4.  Jimmy Garoppolo:

There is very little question that Jimmy Garoppolo will be playing somewhere other than San Francisco next season.  The 49ers did not draft Trey Lance third overall to leave him on the bench fo more than one season.  There are major concerns about the ability of Garoppolo to stay healthy.  He is once again out with an injury after just five games this season.  When healthy he certainly has shown the kind of ability that would entice any team.  It wouldn’t cost the Steelers anywhere near the capital it would to acquire Watson.

3.  Aaron Rogers:

It did not go unnoticed the googly eyes Rogers and Mike Tomlin made toward each other during the Packers/Steelers game last week.  It fueled speculation that Rogers might somehow find his way to Pittsburgh in 2022.  It does seem likely that Rogers’ time in Green Bay will come to an end after this season.  The two parties had a very tense stand-off during last year’s draft.  Rogers’ contract, and the steep price it will take to acquire him, make a deal unlikely.  Still, there is no denying that there is something there between Rogers and Tomlin.  It would not be a complete shock if Aaron Rogers were under center in Pittsburgh nest year.

2.  Cam Newton:

We believe the Steelers should already be on the phone to bring Cam Newton in this season. Maybe signing Cam Newton isn’t such a bad idea after all He probably is one Ben Roethlisberger injury away from joining this team anyway.  This is a veteran quarterback who still has a good deal of mobility.  That is something offensive coordinator Matt Canada covets.  Newton would be an easy, cheap, and quick fix to the Steelers quarterback situation in 2022.

1.  Jameis Winston:

In our opinion, Jameis Winston is the most likely veteran option for Steelers quarterback in 2022.  There are several factors that would make him attractive to the Steelers.  First off, this is a former first overall pick in the the 2015 draft.  We all know how much this franchise likes draft pedigree.  Jameis Winston will be a free agent in 2022, meaning no trade assets will be needed.  Perhaps most importantly of all is the fact that he will be coming off a year in New Orleans with quarterback guru Sean Payton.  This is already seems to be helping Winston as he is off to a pretty good start.

The negatives associated with Jameis Winston are well publicized.  His propensity to turn the ball over has been a major flaw in his game since day one.  There also have been some immaturity issues, but those seem to have gone away as of late.  Winston is not the most mobile quarterback, but compared to Ben Roethlisberger he will be a huge improvement in that area.

Overall there is no perfect solution at quarterback for the Steelers quarterback situation in 2022.  When all factors are considered, the best bet is that Pittsburgh goes with Jameis Winston at the end of the day.  The Steelers could do a lot worse as they once again put all their chips in the middle for another Super Bowl run.