It’s a new year, with the same old question. The uncertainty at the Steelers quarterback position remains three years after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. It looked for a while that Russell Wilson would solidify the position for at least a few seasons. That, however, has come into serious question after some below average performances in the Steelers biggest games of the year. With no quarterback under contract in 2025, the Steelers will once again be searching for their long term answer to the most important position in sports.
The first, and most obvious candidate would be a return for Russell Wilson. From the behind the scenes looks we have gotten from Hard Knocks, it’s pretty clear Mike Tomlin is smitten with his current signal caller. There has been lots of reporting that the Steelers want to lock Wilson up on a three year deal after the season. The problem here is that Russell Wilson has steadily declined over the last four weeks. After his breakout game versus the Bengals, Wilson has thrown for 158, 128, 217, and 205 yards. Even worse, he has begun to turn the ball over at an alarming rate the last two games. With 2 interceptions, and 2 more fumbles (one lost), ball security is becoming an issue. How Russell Wilson finishes up the season, particularly in the playoffs will go a long way in determining whether or not he is the Steelers quarterback in 2025.
There is another quarterback on this roster. One who led the team to a 4-2 start before being replaced by Wilson. Justin Fields continues to bide his time on the bench, waiting for another opportunity. His inability to make big plays in the passing game ultimately got him benched. Fields kept his turnovers down this year, which was a knock on him coming in. His added threat of mobility was a key factor in the team’s early success in the red zone.. We can not completely rule out Fields for 2025. In fact, he may be the better “bridge” quarterback for whoever is next to be the long term quarterback in Pittsburgh.
The rest of the field for available quarterback options in 2025 does not look all that appealing. In free agency, names like Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones are the best of a pretty mediocre bunch. Both will cost a significant amount of money to go along with an equal amount of risk. The 2025 draft isn’t looking much better. After the two top guys of Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward there doesn’t appear to be even a players worth a first round selection. It’s clear the 2025 off-season is not the time to be shopping for a franchise quarterback.
To sum up, 2025 looks like more of the same for the Steelers at quarterback. It will most likely be another year trying to squeeze whatever is left out of Russel Wilson’s 37 year old body. At some point this franchise will have to commit to a full blown rebuild. When that day comes is anyone’s guess. Until then it will be more of a bandaid on a flesh wound mentality. The results will be just what we’ve been accustomed to over the last seven years. Winning season, combined with little to no playoff success. Steelers biggest issue: Evaluating the quarterback position
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