Steelers 'Are The Dark Horse' To Take Advantage Of Rough Quarterback Draft

At pick 21, the Pittsburgh Steelers are seemingly in no position to secure themselves a top tier quarterback. They clearly have some interest in Jalen Milroe, and they have been linked to Jaxson Dart as well, but both would feel like reaches if they were selected in the first round. The most likely scenario is that they draft a defensive tackle in the first round and wait until the middle rounds to look for a project/backup passer to help give some stability to an ever-changing quarterback room. 

Former General Manager Ran Carthon spoke about the Steelers' quarterback situation, and he brought up the fact that teams could pass on some of the top quarterback prospects, which would open up the door for the Steelers to consider grabbing one. 

Rumors say that Cameron Ward secured himself the top pick with his Pro Day, but he will most likely go in the top five due to his sky-high stock. Meanwhile, there is no good way to predict where every other quarterback will go. Even if someone like Shedeur Sanders falls in the draft, would that warrant a trade-up for a team like Pittsburgh?

Sanders is considered to be the next best quarterback in the 2025 draft class, with some analysts even liking him more than Ward, but there are all kinds of questions surrounding his maturity. However, the Steelers have been known for taking highly talented players and ignoring their supposed "character concerns" in an attempt to build the best team possible. 

The most likely scenario for the Steelers is that they sign Aaron Rodgers, but who knows when that contract will officially be finalized? The Steelers could easily go into draft day with just two quarterbacks signed on the roster. The lack of players in the room, as well as questions about the talent, could influence the Steelers to be more aggressive in pursuing a quarterback.

Steelers Have Many Factors Playing In A Potential Draft Trade

With that in mind, the concern is how far Sanders would have to fall for the Steelers to start calling teams up about a possible trade up. Omar Khan may be an aggressive general manager, but he never goes overboard with negotiations. He likely won't sell the farm just to get the chance to draft a quarterback.

On the other hand, the Steelers are currently projected to get four compensatory picks in 2026, for a total of 11 draft selections. Khan could afford to use some future mid-round picks to help move up and get the guy they want. They will still try to wait as long as they can to make a deal if they even want to, but they have a lot more flexibility to get it done. 

Maybe the Steelers don't want Sanders. They could always draft a defensive tackle early on, then trade into the second round or early in the third round to get the likes of Milroe or Dart. That kind of deal would be much cheaper, and they would still appease Khan and his staff by addressing the trenches with a top pick.

At this point, there is no right way to project who will be playing quarterback for which team. The stock of guys like Sanders and Dart is all over the place, while Rodgers continues to be mysterious and avoid committing to a decision. The Steelers need to make all kinds of plans, because there is always a realistic shot that Plan A does not pan out.