The Pittsburgh Steelers have one big offseason question left to answer, which comes at the quarterback position, where the team has put all of its eggs in the Aaron Rodgers basket.
Rodgers’ future remains uncertain. It would appear the Steelers are his only option left, but the future Hall of Fame quarterback is contemplating retirement, also.
“I’m open to anything and attached to nothing. Retirement could still be a possibility, but right now my focus has been — and will continue to be — on my personal life,” he told Pat McAfee. “And that’s what I’ve told the coaches. There’s still conversations that are being had. It’s all been very honest lines of communication.”
The uncertainty surrounding the Steelers’ quarterback situation has led to Moe Moton of Bleacher Report to name Pittsburgh the biggest offseason loser in the AFC North.
If Rodgers signs with the Steelers, he’s a 41-year-old quarterback who has posted his worst QBR and passer rating in his last two full years as a starter with the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets.
Either way, the Steelers could take a step back with their current quarterback situation, which isn’t ideal for a veteran-laden team in win-now mode. They have two explosive playmaking wide receivers, George Pickens and DK Metcalf, but the question is, will their starting quarterback be able to maximize that talent?
At this point, the Steelers desperately need Rodgers to sign with them. If he doesn’t, the team will be left with a sixth-round rookie in Will Howard and a pair of backups in Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson.
Pittsburgh could pivot to a trade for Kirk Cousins, who would be a better option than the aforementioned three but not as good as Rodgers. On top of that, he’s coming off a terrible year.
It’s still a bit early to be calling the Steelers the biggest offseason loser in the AFC North, though. That would be a more appropriate label if the Steelers don’t land Rodgers, which has yet to be decided.
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