The Steelers QB room in 2025

Re-sign Fields to a two year deal, take a flyer on Howard or Dart in the draft. I don't get that Skylar Thompson signing probably better off bringing back Kyle Allen.

 

Where I am at this stage honestly. Question remains as to how the draft takes shape. If the Steelers are hellbent on taking a QB in this class, they will have to go the distance in nabbing a WR in FA then. Problem is, I doubt either Higgins or Godwin are willing to arrive here where there are far superior options available.

 

Dart is impressing the scouts at the Senior Bowl practices with his arm strength so he probably won't be there for us in the second round. Dillon Gabriel the Oregon State QB has looked the best so far with his throwing accuracy. What hurts him is that he is only 5'10" and isn't a running threat and he is 24 years old. But he can survey the field and make accurate throws all day long. If he slips we could take him with one of the 7th round picks.

 

How much would Arthur Smith like to bring in his QB Desmond Ridder? I think Ridder would be an upgrade over Kyle Allen or Mason Rudolph.

 

Money talks and so does Tomlin (motivator is one of the boxes he does check). While I like him, I'm not as big on them signing Godwin given Wilson and Austin III. If they were to bring Higgins in they can trade or otherwise have Pickens' replacement.

As far as QBs in this draft go, I like Dart, but I'm also a fan of Kyle McCord. Price needs to be right though. I'm seeing some mocks with Ewers going to the Steelers in R2. No, thanks.

 

You are correct; money talks. However, don't think for a second that some of these players don't think about their own success. For that matter, Tee Higgins has an excellent reminder of why the grass isn't always greener on the other side in Tyreek Hill. Granted, to Hill's credit, his early days in Miami were excellent. Now?! Not so much.


A team like Washington or even New England?! That is where I'd imagine Higgins would be landing. I also wouldn't rule out the likes of Tennessee considering that the team could draft the likes of Cam Ward and have Ward quickly develop that way in addition to other forms of spending that the Titans will likely do. Don't forget to add in the likes of Los Angeles either for the Chargers have $75 Million in Cap Space along with a Franchise QB in Justin Herbert who is in dire need of weapons.


My personal pick though remains Washington as the potential of Jayden Daniels is through the roof. Add in the fact that the team will also have Scary Terry and Daniels could be in for a big season in 2025.

 

Sup?

 

QB will be tough to solve this year.
Not enough emphasis on that position as to how much it can help the team overall.
I look at Washington with Jayden Daniels, that offensive line is nothing special and they know it but Daniels helps them be better than they are.
A QB that is standing around in the pocket holding the ball is not good for the offensive line.

For QB to have the quick release, he has to have receivers that can get open with the first few steps and they have to put pressure on the defense so the defense cannot just focus on one guy.

Sam Darnold is the biggest Free Agent at the QB spot this off season. I'm not sure I would want to sign him for what I think his going rate will be. I still think he is a risk.
Kyle McCord is draft prospect, though he lacks the mobility we see in Mahomes and Allen. He reminds me of Marino somewhat. I just don't think the Steelers are any good a developing such a player though,
I think Kurtis Rourke and Jaxon Dart have their plus sides but neither strike me as anything more than backups, unless they get lucky enough to go to a team with a QB whisperer.

I'm not really confident that our GM and scouting is good enough to mine out a gem.
And for the love of God, why am I still seeing Austin listed as Defensive Coordinator?

 

I could get on board with picking Howard in the 2nd or 3rd round.

 

Ridder is terrible.

 

Do you have some sort of calendar pop up that randomly triggers you posting this

 

One more time the Skyer signing is nothing more than having someone on the roster who can toss a ball until they get someone else signed. Then he is likely a fourth arm in camp. Nothing difficult to understand.

Allen may very well be back after he tests FA.

 

WHO?

 

Exactly. Your point is spot on about Fields/Wilson are not good fits for the offense. There has been a complete lack of innovation on offense for years, which is on Tomlin/Art, but Smith needs to stop trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

Throwing the ball is not a strength of this team and we aren't good enough at running the ball to compensate.

If we are going with Fields, keep him the shotgun and go read option. The receiver routes need to be simple and designed around the fact the QB is one read. The passing game will be more off script scrambling drills, outlet back or tight-end.

They also need their backup QB to be able to run the same thing. It will be absolutely useless to have Justin Fields then go out and get someone like a Kirk Cousins, more traditional style, as your backup.

If they want a more traditional style offense, play action, make progressions, then they have some work in the offseason to find some QB's in the draft and free agency, because that is never going to be Fields.

 

I think for a player like McCord to work, you HAVE to have weapons on the outside at WR. Brady, Peyton, and Brees all became really good QB's with next to no mobility, but the thing they all had in common was that no matter how good they got... they had elite weapons around them at all times. It doesn't matter how good you are at processing the defense, if your weapons can't win their matchups, you're just going to get sacked. He does have a really good arm though, and looks the part of an NFL QB.

Dart and Howard seem to have the mobility and running ability that teams covet at the position today. Neither are sure things by any means (what QB's are?), but both have a lot of things you would want in your signal caller. Depending on what we get done in the FA period, I certainly think that QB is an option in the first round if we end up loving a specific player. I'd be more than fine with Dart or Howard at 21 if we fill some of our current holes with FA signings. I think we get too much into "well, he's the 65th ranked prospect, we shouldn't draft him with our second round pick at 52 because that's a "reach". We should wait until the third and if he's gone just draft a different guy". I think people get stuck on feeling like they get "value" with the pick based off pre-draft rankings. The guy might be the 65th ranked prospect, but have the 5th best NFL career of anyone in the draft. Sometimes you just take the players you think are going to be good and go for it. Pre-draft rankings mean nothing. You don't just sit there and hope "value" falls into your lap. It does sometimes, but it often doesn't. You make your own value in the draft, and if you like Howard or Dart and they're sitting there at 21, why risk allowing 5-7 QB needy teams selecting in the early second another shot at taking your guy?

 

Jalen Hurts is showing this year how running QB's need to be utilized to be successful. Get a game breaking RB in there, surround him with some weapons, and then just go let the offense score points. Don't get hung up on passing yards per game or other stats. Just win. He passed for 193 yards a game this year, and they ran him 10 times a game.

Hurts passed for 193 per game and rushed for 42 yards a game - totaling 235 yards per game.
Fields passed for 184 per game and rushed for 39 yards a game (in his starts) - totaling 223 yards per game.

The main difference is that the Eagles have a quality WR2 to go with Brown and an explosive RB in Barkley. We had no WR2 and a mediocre power back in Harris as our RB. If we TRULY want to be a good offense with a Fields-type QB, then we need to get a RB that can hit a home run at RB (there are a few that could be had in the first 2 rounds in the draft this year) and a really good WR2 (there are a couple that should be available in FA). If we do that, then Fields is good enough to have a good offense. Play to his strengths and stop trying to make him something he isn't. I am fine if we go another route at QB, but to sit here and say that Fields isn't a good enough player to lead a good offense is ridiculous. We just have to build the right type of offense around him.

 

I know, but I think Arthur Smith should be allowed to be 100% in charge of the offense and bring in any QB he wants. It sure sounded like Arthur Smith was looking forward to coaching Kenny and Mason last year.



I also believe the Steelers would have been better off last year with Kenny, Mason, and Ryan Tannehill. AND, if Arthur Smith would have been 100% in charge of the offense last year, he would have benched Russell Wilson.

 

You really can't compare the Steelers offense to the Eagles offense without talking about the O-Line. As Tomlin would say.... The Steelers O-Line is "Junior Varsity" compared to the Eagles.

 

I agree, but our line is also very young. They were exceptionally injured along the line this year too, which makes them look worse than they would have been. Next year's projected starting line will see Fautanu and McCormick in their first full year starting, Jones and Frazier in their second full year starting (and Jones likely starting at LT for the first time in his career), plus Seumalo. I don't expect them to be a stud unit right away, but there is a lot of talent on the line. There's no reason they can't finish 2025 a pretty good starting unit.

 

Justin Fields isn't in Jalen Hurts league as a Quarterback. Not even close. Jalen can actually read a defense, is cool under pressure, and can effectively pass down field. They are not comparable.

Fields is not good enough to get past the murderer's row of QB's in the AFC in the playoffs. He isn't an elite quarterback, and a JAG.

Fields lost his job to a washed up moon ball thrower. The NFL Scouting report on him was he is not an accurate deep passer and has trouble reading defenses. That hasn't really changed. I didn't agree when the Steelers switched to Wilson, I thought you stay with the guy winning games, but you could see a clear difference in the passing game when they did.

The eye test did not lie. Wilson is washed, we saw that at the end of the season. Fields is younger and more athletic, but not a better passer.

In any case, I do not trust this coaching staff to implement a system to make Justin Fields succeed. Maybe if we had the Eagles' talent on offense, but not a single guy on our offense would likely start on their offense, not even Pickens.

I think the Steelers need to go with him in 2025, but he is just another one year rental until they find their next QB.

 

Smith benched Ridder in Atlanta, we saw Smith bring in a bunch of Atlanta guys on offense and they sucked for the most part. No, they wouldn't have been better off with Tannehill, Mason, Kenny last year .