The Pittsburgh Steelers have not had a losing season in well than two decades, including the last 18 seasons under head coach Mike Tomlin, but the quarterback position remains a key question heading into 2025.
Pittsburgh chose national champion Will Howard from Ohio State in the sixth round of this year’s NFL draft, but it’s uncertain whether the 23-year-old signal caller is ready to play right away.
The other two quarterbacks on the roster are Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. Both have previous experience as part-time starters: Rudolph is 9-8-1 while Thompson is 1-2. But neither has established himself as a viable quarterback1.
Pittsburgh sold a second-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for wide receiver DK Metcalf, then signed him to a four-year contract worth $132 million — a move that makes little sense unless the organization intends to acquire a legitimate starting quarterback.
The Steelers have been open about their interest in Aaron Rodgers, but a deal with the four-time MVP has yet to be completed. If Rodgers isn’t the starter next season, Pittsburgh is a strong candidate to trade for a quarterback in the coming months.
The trade market isn’t thriving, but Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons is available, and Pittsburgh is a natural fit for the 36-year-old quarterback.
“The Falcons can trade Cousins after June 1 and save $27.5 million in cap space this year, per Over the Cap,” said Moe Moton of Bleacher Report on Tuesday, May 13. “If quarterback-needy teams believe the four-time Pro Bowler has another season or two of optimal years, the Falcons should be open to a deal that nets them a fourth-round pick.”
A fourth-round pick is a realistic price for a starter quarterback given the Steelers’ other choices. Cousins isn’t a long-term solution, but he’s a clear upgrade over Rudolph and Thompson, and likely a better option than Howard — at least in 2025.
Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract last offseason and has a $27.5 million cap charge this season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Falcons are looking for a team prepared to take on $20 million of that pay in 2025.
If the Steelers can get that down to around $10 million, it’s difficult to argue that Cousins isn’t the best of the limited options before the preseason begins.
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