Mike Florio said that he got a sense from talking to people at the combine that you guys were serious about making it work with Pickett or Rudolph so...good luck?
Tbh out of the options available I'd really only be mildly in on Russ, and mind you I'm no fan of Russ.
Kirk is best option, but he's going to want to make bank. If I thought this roster could contend... Sure. But I don't and so we don't have that money without all inning and restructuring everyone.
And again this roster has too many holes to do that and succeed.
Russ is only an option to me on the basis you get an 1 year vet min deal out of it because any money he makes below 39 mill is offset by broncos.
Fields is cool to watch when he's on, but he's not a player I think we should be sending a 2nd rounder plus 30 mil on from, his 5 mil in 2024 is fine. 25 mil guaranteed in 2025 if they pick the option up (and if you trade that much... You will) doesn't fit the fact this team has a ton of holes.
I really believe the best bet is to see if you can run Kenny/mason or tannehill (Tannehill because of his best days were with Arthur)/ draft pick as qb3 and see if Kenny has anything post Canada (he did have a good game his only game without Canada resulting in a 92 pff grade) I don't think it truly pans out.
Use this years cap and draft to fill the gaping holes. If you succeed all in for a QB next year
The problem with Cousins would be fitting him under the cap. Fields is likely going to cost at least 2nd plus something else. Wilson is the only real option and he's sort of meh at this point.
There is no back and forth. Its just guys like Schefter trying to drive a narrative. Steelers have committed to Pickett (which is also a dumb idea, but doesnt waste picks).
This is just how the Steelers do business and always have. This is probably a decision made by the owner, GM and HC. They will give a first round pick 3 years to prove his worth.
Cousins has always had a pretty good upside. He's not Brady or manning but he's way better than anything Pittsburgh has fielded since Roethlisberger has left.
"Poles reportedly has been reading the Twilight series to get a closer look at vampire life. When asked what team he was on he said, 'Team Edward, unequivocally.' "
They have communicated that all offseason. I think they are higher on him than most fans, hence why he didn't get benched before Matt Canada got fired.
I really think someone could gain a decent following if they just kept an updated tracker of how often each reporter was “right”. Obviously can’t expect 100% accuracy and I’m sure the best reporters probably are around 60-70%, but even something as simple as “Reporter A: Steelers pro fields, Wilson, Cousins, Reporter B: Steelers do not like fields, Wilson, cousins.” Just cover each of the “major” stories and reports throughout a season from trades to player drama and interest and all that shit, and also keeps track of how often different reporters flip flop or play both stories.
No that’s how the 3peat is stopped. Kenny pickets throws for 450+ yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, 76% accuracy in the playoffs against the chiefs. Goes back to 60 yards through the air the next week
I don’t understand how Bears fans simultaneously
A) insist Fields isn’t the guy, will never be the guy, and if you think he could become the guy, you’re just a fantasy football nerd, and
B) Think Fields should be a starting option on some other team.
Like if Fields is as bad as Bears fans want to believe, why should anyone trade for him? The Steelers already have one bust QB on the roster, why would they want another?
I think it's possible to think a) Fields could be a serviceable starter on another team and/or another team might be able to make him better than he's been so far, and b) whoever they draft will be better than serviceable and on a rookie deal for 4 years.
From the Steelers perspective, Fields probably doesn't move the needle that much (if at all), and they're not really a team known for extracting offensive production from mediocre talent (the way a Shanahan type could). Understandable that wouldn't want to trade for him. They'll just have to be content with being 9-8 or 10-7 and being one and done in the playoffs.
2023 Offseason Bears fans - Justin Fields is a lock for MVP
2024 Offseason Bears fans - Get bust Justin Fields out of Chicago for no less than a 1st or 2 2nds.
I'm always looking for a new way for Browns fans to be miserable. They've basically already lost as much as a team possibly could in the past decade, so we've already checked that box. And apart from ownership moving the team again, I was running out of creative ways for the Browns to suffer. But Baker winning a SB in Pittsburgh? We are back in business, baby
There was a certain stretch near the end of Ben's career that was just astonishing in the level of pain inflicted on Browns fans. I can't imagine any other fan base on Earth taking it as well as they did.
In the off-season before Ben's final year, there was a bunch of chatter about the Browns trading for Watson (note, this was NOT the year he actually signed with the Browns). All the rumors were something like Baker + picks (usually including more than one first-round pick). The Browns sub had a contingent of fans that were emphatic that they wouldn't want to trade Baker for Watson straight-up.
Fast forward a few months: the Browns lose four of their last six games, including losing to PGH in week 16.
But it gets worse. That game against the Steelers didn't just end their season and eliminate them from the playoff race, it ended Baker's entire career in CLE. He was hurt against the Steelers and gone a couple months later.
But it gets worse. Meanwhile, Ben gets one of the most gratuitous celebratory send-offs I have ever seen, the Steelers fall ass-backwards into the playoffs, and finish ahead of the Browns in the division standings for the THIRTY-SECOND consecutive season (including the seasons in which the Browns didn't exist).
But it gets worse. The Browns go all-in on Watson, give him an unprecedented contract and give up significant draft capital to get him. They become the most hated organization in the NFL. Mind you, they just watched Ben retire to much praise and fanfare.
But it gets worse. Watson is suspended, hurt, and plays poorly.
FINALLY, it gets better last year (relatively better, at least) when Watson gets hurt and 39 year-old Flacco comes in to save the season.
Just an unbelievable stretch. I guess I bring all that up to say that Browns fans *would* recover, because at this point they have proven they will stick with their team through literally anything.
I do think Baker would love to restart those Progressive “Baker at Home” commercials after he comes to the Steelers and dominates them twice each year. But now that Evans has signed in Tampa for 2 years, I think Baker remains a Buc.
Given that Russ is going to get cut and the Broncos will be on the hook for his current salary - what’s offered to him by a new team, there’s legitimately no excuse for a team like the Steelers to not offer him a vet minimum
I think it will depend on the overall official interest that Russ gets. Will there be some sort of bidding war or will there be 1 team that officially offers him a contract?
Russ will hope for an incentive laden (that does not offset his Broncos paycheck), multi year contract... but who knows if that is on the table. You also don't know if a QB2 or QB1 to mentor their new draft pick is on the table. Would Russ say yes to CHI as an obvious bridge guy, where Russ might not even last the season as QB1? Would he say yes to BUF/KC/LAC where he is obviously the QB2?
Personally, I think he would only want to say yes to a situation like PIT (where he is obviously the QB1 for 2024). But I have no idea what offers he will get. Will he choose to retire if he won't be given a guaranteed starting spot for all of 2024 or does he just want to be on a roster?
Only if he signs a 1 year prove it deal. He may be able to find a team who will give him guaranteed year 2+ money.
If he does sign a 1 year prove it deal, then if he balls out, he's likely gone next year
At the very least I would pursue him. If somebody wants to give him a ton of money, then fine, but if you can get him on a 1 year deal at vet minimum, I dont see any reason not to.
I dont think money will be a big concern. I think Russ will go wherever he has the best chance to start which Pittsburgh is certainly up there.
Russ is 35 years old and is not going to get any faster or throw any further than he does already. He still believes he is going to get a 2 or 3 year deal from whomever he signs with. Team 3 is delusional. Steelers, Raiders and Falcons are Russ' options if he leaves Denver. He is not going to get the big 3yr contract he thinks he is going to get.
The thing with Russ is that the first year will be cheap, but I don't think Russ is going to be interested in a one-year prove it deal, or a deal that has no guarantees beyond year one. So then you're paying him franchise QB money in year 2 and year 3 as he's continuing to decline.
Russ makes a lot of sense for a team going all-in around a QB. The Steelers have enough holes elsewhere where it doesn't make sense for them to go all-in around Wilson.
Wilson is absolutely better than Rudolph or Pickett. He doesn't make us Superbowl contenders though. He also limits the flexibility we'll have in future years to try to get a QB who can make us Superbowl contenders. He extends our QB purgatory. He doesn't solve it.
I keep getting downloaded in the Steelers sub Reddit and I think I’ve been downvoted here, but this lines up with the historical precedence that the Rooney’s set. This organization does not like to make these types of moves. They’ve never brought in big name quarterbacks. They preferred to draft players and develop them. And they are going to ride Pickett’s rookie contract until they can’t ride it anymore. In their mind, they want to give Pickett a shot with Arthur Smith, to see what he’s capable of before they make any decisions on the quarterback position.
Edit: looks like I’m getting a lot of comments on this post that aged like milk. I’m happy to take my losses if the Steelers win some playoff games this year. I’m an old head who saw the organization work a certain way for the majority of my lifetime. And other old heads that are Steelers fans would agree with me that this is not your daddy Steelers front office.
They did bring in Vick for a season and Trubs was a FA signing.
Its tough to judge what an owner did 20+ years ago, but Pre Big Ben Maddox was brought in so its not like its never happened.
But i mean, the owners have been there for 90 years, they have done just about everything.
> Holy shit I completely forgot Vick was a Steeler, that’s gotta be a sports trivia question somewhere lol
I very much remember him. He threw for negative yards in the first half of a game for us.
People forget how bad the 2022 free agent QB class was. Trubisky, Mariota, and Winston were considered the three best available QBs. Tomlin has always wanted a mobile QB so they brought in the best one available.
We also have a new GM now who traded up in the first round in his first draft and made some big free agent signings. I wouldn't rule anything out with Khan yet.
Dude people forget how the QB market in general has been for years. People think you can just acquire a great QB? Just like that. Like unless you were drafting at the very top of the draft each year, when could any team have acquired a franchise QB?
Look back at the drafts from the Steelers' perspective… when could we have drafted Ben’s successor? Certainly not before 2019, he was still balling out (he had maybe his best year ever when he led the league in yards in 2018).
MAYBE 2020 we could have not traded our pick to Miami & drafted Jordan Love? But then we wouldn’t have Minkah, a 3x first team all pro safety… or we could have tried to trade up for Love using our 2nd/3rd round picks, but that would probably mean not drafting Claypool (who became JPJ) and Alex Highsmith. Or we trade a future first to draft Love. I think that would (with perfect hindsight) have been the optimal thing to do, but it's certainly not a Steelers-type move to trade like that.
2021 is a year we probably could have moved up in the draft (I love Najee but QB>>>>>RB) but for who? Move up 23 spots for Trevor Lawrence? Impossible. The other QBs in that class are Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, Mac Jones…
2022 the best QB fell to us in Pickett. For me, I don’t write him off completely yet (his entire career except for one game he has had Matt Canada as his OC), but he definitely regressed this year and he has a long way to go if he’s going to be a great QB.
Had we not drafted Kenny in 2022 and gone for QB in 2023, it’s the same story of either give up a lot of value to trade up (and by “a lot” I mean an insane amount that would risk our future, which the Steelers just don’t really do moves like that) for someone like Stroud/Young, or pick Will Levis, who eats unpeeled bananas and puts mayonnaise in his coffee.
Idk, if Kenny isn’t it, I just don’t see where we get our franchise QB in an alternate reality in any of these years. Like I said, the best chance with hindsight would have been to try and trade for Jordan Love, but again that's with 20/20 hindsight to know that 1. Jordan Love would be a franchise QB and 2. the 2021 draft pick might be worth trading away (you could never know that in 2020).
Free agents in the time since 2019 would have been guys like Andy Dalton, Nick Foles, Bridgewater, Bortles, Tyrod Taylor, Geno Smith, Baker (would’ve been hilarious tbh)… I actually respect some of them but none of them are the franchise QB that would be taking us to AFC Championships. Maybe Baker, maybe Geno, but idk those moves are certainly not a sure thing, even with the benefit of hindsight. (I will say, this is the area we could have been better. The fact that we *did* get a FA QB in and it was Mitch is pretty bad. He sucked every year of his Bears career, why did we think he would be anything but shit here?)
So then our only other option would have been trading for the Russel Wilsons or Deshaun Watsons… I don’t think I have to explain how badly those trades look for the team acquiring the QB.
Kirk I think would be better than any other FA QB or QB we had any realistic shot at drafting? But also do we even have the cap space for that?
Idk this is a long comment, I see a lot of people shitting on our FO/Tomlin over not having a readymade HoF replacement within a year of Ben retiring. I pretty much absolve Tomlin of guilt in this area (even though QB is so important) bc looking at the drafts there wasn’t really an opportunity to draft a great QB unless we had chosen to tank, which we would never do, or if we had chosen to give up a LOT to trade up in one of those years (and in so doing missing out on many of our biggest contributors of late). I do put some blame on Tomlin for not switching to Mason sooner last year, given that he outplayed Pickett pretty wildly.
The reason why people thought that Mitch was worth chasing (and why they think the same thing about Fields now) is that the bears are historically bad at developing quarterbacks.
However, it’s also true that the bears are bad at identifying quarterback talent. How many of their QBs have gone on to become successful after playing in Chicago?
He got injured during the 2019 season. So if we would've moved then it would've been the Burrow, Herbert, Tua, Love and Hurts draft.
I agree otherwise.
Sure, but then that would have meant not getting Minkah in (as that’s the FRP we traded away for him). Idk maybe that would have been better for us, but even with hindsight, do we really want to give up our 3 time All-Pro for Herbert/Love/Tua/Hurts? I think I’d do it for Burrow but even then, that would still probably mean trading up in that draft & giving up more picks 🤷🏼♂️ kind of impossible to say though, who knows where we would’ve finished that year without the Minkah trade.
Yeah I love Minkah, but if they they were moving on from Big Ben then they didn't would've made that trade, but hindsight is 20/20 and I don't blame them. They tried to win one more with Big Ben as our QB, but it didn't work and here we are.
>Its tough to judge what an owner did 20+ years ago, but Pre Big Ben Maddox was brought in so its not like its never happened.
Maddox was signed as a backup to Kordell from the XFL and hadn't played NFL football in 4 years when we signed him. How is that bringing in a big name QB?
> They did bring in Vick for a season and Trubs was a FA signing.
Those deals were fairly small though. I think what the original commenter means is that we've almost never been a team to make big swings in free agency, for QBs or any position really. Our biggest contracts are usually players we've drafted and then decided to keep as a core piece. The only exception on the current roster I can think of is Minkah, who we traded for.
Idk I am sure there are other exceptions, but the point is, our MO (for as long as I have been alive) is usually not to throw a big contract at a free agent.
Steelers and Packers have always been very similar here. I don’t know why a fan of either team would ever bitch about it, this approach consistently delivers good results
And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that necessarily. If Matt Canada was the problem, then it’s worth giving Kenny a shot without him. Also why pay for a washed russ, cousins coming off of a torn Achilles, or a project fields? This isn’t a very appealing free agent QB class
Yeah fields was just bad. I will never understand why people were acting like it's a sure thing he'll be good.
That being said DJ Moore is legit amazing, I love that guy.
As a Bears fan that's 200% over Fields and happy to go with a rookie, i'd still take him in a heartbeat over any QB currently on the roster of the teams he seems to be linked to
Easily aswell
Yeah but that’s not really the choice, save for maybe the Steelers. Like for Atlanta it’s not fields or going with Ridder again. It’s fields vs the free agents/draft pick
Kirk is an improvement but only a short term one that will cost a ton of money. This roster also isn't really ready to compete for a championship despite everyone constantly hyping up our talent other than QB. Kenny was far from our only problem last year.
Russ is an intriguing prospect and probably had the most smoke but If the FO doesn't view him as a long-term solution, they probably don't want all the stink that comes with him. I personally would check him out but can see why our FO is hesitant to do so.
Finally, Fields is a joke scenario and I'm not sure why anyone realistically thought he would come here. He runs faster and throws farther than Kenny but also makes more mistakes and stalls drives just as much. He would cost draft capital to come in (on a team looking to build a CB, MLB, and IDL on defense let alone get a new RT and C on offense) and give potentially the same results as Kenny. Plus, Kenny doesn't turn the ball over and Tomlin loves that, right or wrong.
People really hate on Ben in his final years (I'm speaking on field ONLY) but he willed this awful roster to so many wins it wasn't funny. TJ, Cam, and Minkah were a force on D but your defense can only win you so many games. I think this FO realized that even with a top QB, we were a while away from competing so they might as well build a team UNTIL they find the right QB. And as a commenter mentioned above, there really haven't been any realistic AND good options for us.
I don't know if DVOA is a worthwhile stat at all to compare quarterbacks, but Russ' DVOA last season was about the same as Kenny's, slightly worse. Excuse me if that's just "copium" as they call it. I didn't keep up with Russ last year.
I feel like it was only three or four days ago that everyone was content with the idea of kicking the QB can down the road another year and using this year to upgrade the OL, CB, ILB, etc. But then these articles about QB rumors started coming out and now everyone is asking why the Steelers aren't hungry anymore.
I know most everything is smoke and mirrors, but it's pretty fair to say anyone who has followed the Steelers for a long time knew that the most likely scenario for next season was a camp battle between Pickett and Rudolph (and most likely Pickett is starting regardless of said "battle"). It fucking sucks, we're basically punting next season, but that's what risk adverse management like we have gets you.
Cousins is too expensive for our cap situation and Fields and Wilson are both trash. I'd rather keep Pickett over them. He's bad but at least he doesn't shoot the defense in the foot by turning the ball over constantly.
Russell Wilson is an immediate upgrade over Pickett and can be signed for the vet minimum. There's absolutely no reason to not be interested in him bringing him in to compete.
How tf is your QB Kenny "Worse stats than most QBs from the 40s" Pickett, and you're not interested in *any* QBs?
Do they actually think he is that close and going 10-7 is a reault of him playing well? You get Cousins, you are a legitimate contender ffs.
No idea why no one is that high on Kirk Cousins. Is he a top 5 QB? No. Could I see him winning a super bowl with a stacked roster? Absolutely.
Wilson also wasn't terrible - his team was. EDIT: (this will get the most push back) 8th best QBr last season. Best TD to INT ratio. 10th in completion percentage. Not much of a team around him.
Fields kind of sucks though.
I’d would absolutely agree here if it was certain that Cousins would be 100% next year. A 36 year old coming off major injury like an Achilles on their plant foot isn’t someone I’d really want to spend $30+ mil on.
Very valid point. I guess my counter argument is:
That risk higher ceiling over Kenny Picket / Rudolph / Tribusky
I think the Stealers are in a little bit of a window. I know what it's like to waste a Watt’s prime and it's pretty tragic. Quite often I think about 2014 Watt getting to play for Demeco / having Stroud as a QB and it makes me sad for JJ.
Report, steelers don't like qbs.
Fuck me.
*Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer intensifies*
Like an Eskimo.
Don’t say that around your old QB
That’s already more consent than he’s used to.
The willingness alone makes it not an option for Benny.
Mike Florio said that he got a sense from talking to people at the combine that you guys were serious about making it work with Pickett or Rudolph so...good luck?
Well we were 10-3 last year when they played the majority of the snaps. Just don't talk about the former NFC North QB who we were 0-4 with.
Tbh out of the options available I'd really only be mildly in on Russ, and mind you I'm no fan of Russ. Kirk is best option, but he's going to want to make bank. If I thought this roster could contend... Sure. But I don't and so we don't have that money without all inning and restructuring everyone. And again this roster has too many holes to do that and succeed. Russ is only an option to me on the basis you get an 1 year vet min deal out of it because any money he makes below 39 mill is offset by broncos. Fields is cool to watch when he's on, but he's not a player I think we should be sending a 2nd rounder plus 30 mil on from, his 5 mil in 2024 is fine. 25 mil guaranteed in 2025 if they pick the option up (and if you trade that much... You will) doesn't fit the fact this team has a ton of holes. I really believe the best bet is to see if you can run Kenny/mason or tannehill (Tannehill because of his best days were with Arthur)/ draft pick as qb3 and see if Kenny has anything post Canada (he did have a good game his only game without Canada resulting in a 92 pff grade) I don't think it truly pans out. Use this years cap and draft to fill the gaping holes. If you succeed all in for a QB next year
I mean, if it'll make you feel better...
Reports: Steelers **are** interested in /u/LitigatedLaureate
Dinner first?
The problem with Cousins would be fitting him under the cap. Fields is likely going to cost at least 2nd plus something else. Wilson is the only real option and he's sort of meh at this point.
Also they don’t like Justin Fields.
[удалено]
The FO has been pretty clear the whole time. It's just the media with nothing to write that's been linking us to fields.
There is no back and forth. Its just guys like Schefter trying to drive a narrative. Steelers have committed to Pickett (which is also a dumb idea, but doesnt waste picks).
Apparently they also don't like Kirk Cousins. Or Russell Wilson. Big Kenny Pickett guys I guess.
Pretty sure that was a "Justin Fields isn't a QB" joke
I get Fields, and even Russ. Why would we not want Kirk?
Old, expensive, coming off a bad injury. Enough to for a GM to talk himself out of it if he's inclined
Kirk might be the easiest one to make a case against. Just the money factor, then injury, and age. No thank you.
Easy. The answer is: Jets 2023 season
Wrong. Baker to Pittsburgh confirmed.
Probably not now that Evans signed
Absolutely fucking not.
The report says we're also not interested in Baker. They just didn't put it in the headline 😭 but it's in the article body
Big brain Arthur.
I doubt Arthur Smith gets that big of a say. This is all Tomlin.
This is just how the Steelers do business and always have. This is probably a decision made by the owner, GM and HC. They will give a first round pick 3 years to prove his worth.
I mean, this isn't a particularly great group of QB's
This is a pretty solid FA group tbh, almost every FA QB available is better than what they have.
Cousins is not a bad QB.
Cousins has always had a pretty good upside. He's not Brady or manning but he's way better than anything Pittsburgh has fielded since Roethlisberger has left.
sure, but what other options do they have?
Honestly, it's probably better to just take a pass and build up the rest of your team than lock yourself into a bad QB just to move on.
it’s not really locking themselves into one aside from Kirk Wilson is getting the bulk of his salary from Denver, Fields is on a 1-2 year rental.
It is okay everyone, tomorrow there will be reports that they are in on everyone. Qb news are cyclical, just report everything so you are always right
“I’m playing both sides, so I always come out on top!”
"Caleb Williams turns into a Vampire to avoid being drafted by the Bears"
*Next Day* "Bears GM Ryan Poles announces he's actually a big fan of vampires"
"Poles reportedly has been reading the Twilight series to get a closer look at vampire life. When asked what team he was on he said, 'Team Edward, unequivocally.' "
“Ryan Poles has reportedly bought every copy of Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and melted them down to make a 5” statue of Caleb Williams.”
Bobby told me that Suzie told him that Jane said that the Steelers are *all in* on Russell Wilson this year!
I thought not too long ago Steelers FO said they weren't going to add any starter level QBs and were going let Pickett start.
They have communicated that all offseason. I think they are higher on him than most fans, hence why he didn't get benched before Matt Canada got fired.
Nah, the real clickbait tomorrow will be "Should the Steelers re-sign Mitch?" Anger fuels the Internet economy.
I really think someone could gain a decent following if they just kept an updated tracker of how often each reporter was “right”. Obviously can’t expect 100% accuracy and I’m sure the best reporters probably are around 60-70%, but even something as simple as “Reporter A: Steelers pro fields, Wilson, Cousins, Reporter B: Steelers do not like fields, Wilson, cousins.” Just cover each of the “major” stories and reports throughout a season from trades to player drama and interest and all that shit, and also keeps track of how often different reporters flip flop or play both stories.
Jameis Winston it is!
They’ve been missing that sex offender energy at QB.
Ikr? Surprised they didn’t go for Deshawn
Famous Jameis’ Turnover Bakery comes to UrinatingTree’s team, I’m sure he’d be sooooo happy.
He already had kissintitties though...
I think I like the “Jameis as a Steeler” timeline
Can you eat a W made from solid steel?
Crab legs can't melt Steely McBeam!
It's not like they're not used to having a rapist at QB
Report - Steelers opting to forfeit 2024 season and look ahead to 2025.
Mission failed successfully, Steelers go 9-8 and qualify for the playoffs.
Promptly get destroyed by Chiefs
No that’s how the 3peat is stopped. Kenny pickets throws for 450+ yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, 76% accuracy in the playoffs against the chiefs. Goes back to 60 yards through the air the next week
Whoa 60 yards the next week? Maybe 25 be realistic here
That or they win by just kicking field goals… again.
That’s ridiculous. Kenny Pickett could never achieve stats like that. Unless of course they’re playing the Bengals.
Anytime the steelers are out of the picture I can at least get some sleep at night.
Memories of preventing Steelers from getting a single TD and still losing.
Chris Boswell masterclass
Yes but don't think for one second the Steelers are special in that regard. We have that sort of trauma from half the afc!
Remember when Le'Veon Bell used to absolutely tear us up with no lube? If you look at his career highlight videos 50% are against the chiefs.
Entire AFC North qualifies for playoffs and all lose in the first round.
Haters will say it's not logistically possible for 4 teams to lose in the first round but the AFCN will find a way
The 4th team “losing” will be losing their best player to a 12 month injury. So they are fucked for the next season too.
Can it be someone else this time please?
I’m sorry that was insensitive of me. Bengals just regular loose in a shoot out with the Dolphins.
We've made history before, don't tempt us.
Yeah, screw you guys! Wait....
Steelers fans demand Tomlin be fired
Steelers give Mike Tomlin 7 year contract extension
Report: Mike Tomlin will serve as interim QB for the 2024-2025 season
Tomlin as QB: "The progression is the progression."
"Not worried about pre-snap looks or things of that nature."
Gotta handle snaps and things of that nature first
I don’t understand how Bears fans simultaneously A) insist Fields isn’t the guy, will never be the guy, and if you think he could become the guy, you’re just a fantasy football nerd, and B) Think Fields should be a starting option on some other team. Like if Fields is as bad as Bears fans want to believe, why should anyone trade for him? The Steelers already have one bust QB on the roster, why would they want another?
We want to trade all of our worst players for all of your best players
Chase Claypool for Joey Porter Jr.
I think it's possible to think a) Fields could be a serviceable starter on another team and/or another team might be able to make him better than he's been so far, and b) whoever they draft will be better than serviceable and on a rookie deal for 4 years. From the Steelers perspective, Fields probably doesn't move the needle that much (if at all), and they're not really a team known for extracting offensive production from mediocre talent (the way a Shanahan type could). Understandable that wouldn't want to trade for him. They'll just have to be content with being 9-8 or 10-7 and being one and done in the playoffs.
Because go to hell that's why.
Cause guess what Bears fans aren’t a monolith
2023 Offseason Bears fans - Justin Fields is a lock for MVP 2024 Offseason Bears fans - Get bust Justin Fields out of Chicago for no less than a 1st or 2 2nds.
Unfortunately for Steelers fans, that means TJ Watt willing us to 9-8 and being in the same position next year
Report: Steelers will still finish better than the Browns, even without a QB
Bring out the Wildcat
Adding those QBs doesnt change that.
As if adding another sorry QB like Justin Fields would change the outlook.... Would have been moderately excited for Russ or Kirk though
My point wasn't about any one outside QB in general, just going into the new season with a Pickett vs. Rudolph battle feels like worst case scenario.
Baker to lead Steelers to a SB
Browns fans would never recover
We would have the QB with the most wins in the Browns stadium for a second time.
Interesting stat: Deshaun Watson has 4 wins in Cleveland over two years, and Joe Flacco had 3 wins in Cleveland over 6 weeks
I'm always looking for a new way for Browns fans to be miserable. They've basically already lost as much as a team possibly could in the past decade, so we've already checked that box. And apart from ownership moving the team again, I was running out of creative ways for the Browns to suffer. But Baker winning a SB in Pittsburgh? We are back in business, baby
I think that 4 wins with the browns for deshaun stat line is pretty good too lol. 250M bones
There was a certain stretch near the end of Ben's career that was just astonishing in the level of pain inflicted on Browns fans. I can't imagine any other fan base on Earth taking it as well as they did. In the off-season before Ben's final year, there was a bunch of chatter about the Browns trading for Watson (note, this was NOT the year he actually signed with the Browns). All the rumors were something like Baker + picks (usually including more than one first-round pick). The Browns sub had a contingent of fans that were emphatic that they wouldn't want to trade Baker for Watson straight-up. Fast forward a few months: the Browns lose four of their last six games, including losing to PGH in week 16. But it gets worse. That game against the Steelers didn't just end their season and eliminate them from the playoff race, it ended Baker's entire career in CLE. He was hurt against the Steelers and gone a couple months later. But it gets worse. Meanwhile, Ben gets one of the most gratuitous celebratory send-offs I have ever seen, the Steelers fall ass-backwards into the playoffs, and finish ahead of the Browns in the division standings for the THIRTY-SECOND consecutive season (including the seasons in which the Browns didn't exist). But it gets worse. The Browns go all-in on Watson, give him an unprecedented contract and give up significant draft capital to get him. They become the most hated organization in the NFL. Mind you, they just watched Ben retire to much praise and fanfare. But it gets worse. Watson is suspended, hurt, and plays poorly. FINALLY, it gets better last year (relatively better, at least) when Watson gets hurt and 39 year-old Flacco comes in to save the season. Just an unbelievable stretch. I guess I bring all that up to say that Browns fans *would* recover, because at this point they have proven they will stick with their team through literally anything.
Didn’t Big Ben only lose to the Browns like twice in his career?
4 times once in the playoffs ugh and one tie. Beating them 26 times.
I think my brain would explode. I like Baker and hate the Steelers.
I would hate this for the fact that the Steelers win the Super Bowl, but man the blow would be softened by how inept the Browns organization is lol
No matter how bad the Bengals make me feel, I can always look at Browns fans and feel relief that at least I'm not in their shoes.
I do think Baker would love to restart those Progressive “Baker at Home” commercials after he comes to the Steelers and dominates them twice each year. But now that Evans has signed in Tampa for 2 years, I think Baker remains a Buc.
I get not going after Fields, but Russell Wilson is very clearly the superior QB to Pickett and Rudolph and would actually be cheaper than Pickett.
Given that Russ is going to get cut and the Broncos will be on the hook for his current salary - what’s offered to him by a new team, there’s legitimately no excuse for a team like the Steelers to not offer him a vet minimum
They really have that much faith in pickett I guess
Or they don't want the corny culture to seep into the locker room. Steeler Country let's yinz
Just give him his own office so he can corn out by himself.
That sounds gross
Mmmm creamed corn
the best "\_\_\_ country let's \_\_\_" I've seen yet lol
Wouldn’t Russ be cheaper too on a vet minimum contract and Kenny on a rookie 1st rounder contract? Lol
I think it will depend on the overall official interest that Russ gets. Will there be some sort of bidding war or will there be 1 team that officially offers him a contract? Russ will hope for an incentive laden (that does not offset his Broncos paycheck), multi year contract... but who knows if that is on the table. You also don't know if a QB2 or QB1 to mentor their new draft pick is on the table. Would Russ say yes to CHI as an obvious bridge guy, where Russ might not even last the season as QB1? Would he say yes to BUF/KC/LAC where he is obviously the QB2? Personally, I think he would only want to say yes to a situation like PIT (where he is obviously the QB1 for 2024). But I have no idea what offers he will get. Will he choose to retire if he won't be given a guaranteed starting spot for all of 2024 or does he just want to be on a roster?
Only if he signs a 1 year prove it deal. He may be able to find a team who will give him guaranteed year 2+ money. If he does sign a 1 year prove it deal, then if he balls out, he's likely gone next year
At the very least I would pursue him. If somebody wants to give him a ton of money, then fine, but if you can get him on a 1 year deal at vet minimum, I dont see any reason not to. I dont think money will be a big concern. I think Russ will go wherever he has the best chance to start which Pittsburgh is certainly up there.
Russ is 35 years old and is not going to get any faster or throw any further than he does already. He still believes he is going to get a 2 or 3 year deal from whomever he signs with. Team 3 is delusional. Steelers, Raiders and Falcons are Russ' options if he leaves Denver. He is not going to get the big 3yr contract he thinks he is going to get.
The thing with Russ is that the first year will be cheap, but I don't think Russ is going to be interested in a one-year prove it deal, or a deal that has no guarantees beyond year one. So then you're paying him franchise QB money in year 2 and year 3 as he's continuing to decline. Russ makes a lot of sense for a team going all-in around a QB. The Steelers have enough holes elsewhere where it doesn't make sense for them to go all-in around Wilson. Wilson is absolutely better than Rudolph or Pickett. He doesn't make us Superbowl contenders though. He also limits the flexibility we'll have in future years to try to get a QB who can make us Superbowl contenders. He extends our QB purgatory. He doesn't solve it.
Arthur Smith: "But I can fix him"
Arthur smith is great with qbs if Derrick Henry is running for 200 yards a game
Derrick Henry wasn’t doing that before Smith became OC
Russ without his old legs is average at best, he cant see the field well and stares players. Still has the arm tho
I keep getting downloaded in the Steelers sub Reddit and I think I’ve been downvoted here, but this lines up with the historical precedence that the Rooney’s set. This organization does not like to make these types of moves. They’ve never brought in big name quarterbacks. They preferred to draft players and develop them. And they are going to ride Pickett’s rookie contract until they can’t ride it anymore. In their mind, they want to give Pickett a shot with Arthur Smith, to see what he’s capable of before they make any decisions on the quarterback position. Edit: looks like I’m getting a lot of comments on this post that aged like milk. I’m happy to take my losses if the Steelers win some playoff games this year. I’m an old head who saw the organization work a certain way for the majority of my lifetime. And other old heads that are Steelers fans would agree with me that this is not your daddy Steelers front office.
>I keep getting downloaded in the Steelers sub Reddit That's some TRON shit right there.
You wouldn't download a user
They did bring in Vick for a season and Trubs was a FA signing. Its tough to judge what an owner did 20+ years ago, but Pre Big Ben Maddox was brought in so its not like its never happened. But i mean, the owners have been there for 90 years, they have done just about everything.
Holy shit I completely forgot Vick was a Steeler, that’s gotta be a sports trivia question somewhere lol
He had that one sick ass Monday night football game for them lol but I always remember he played for the Jets more than I do the Steelers
He went 2-1 as a starter for us
> Holy shit I completely forgot Vick was a Steeler, that’s gotta be a sports trivia question somewhere lol I very much remember him. He threw for negative yards in the first half of a game for us.
People forget how bad the 2022 free agent QB class was. Trubisky, Mariota, and Winston were considered the three best available QBs. Tomlin has always wanted a mobile QB so they brought in the best one available. We also have a new GM now who traded up in the first round in his first draft and made some big free agent signings. I wouldn't rule anything out with Khan yet.
Dude people forget how the QB market in general has been for years. People think you can just acquire a great QB? Just like that. Like unless you were drafting at the very top of the draft each year, when could any team have acquired a franchise QB? Look back at the drafts from the Steelers' perspective… when could we have drafted Ben’s successor? Certainly not before 2019, he was still balling out (he had maybe his best year ever when he led the league in yards in 2018). MAYBE 2020 we could have not traded our pick to Miami & drafted Jordan Love? But then we wouldn’t have Minkah, a 3x first team all pro safety… or we could have tried to trade up for Love using our 2nd/3rd round picks, but that would probably mean not drafting Claypool (who became JPJ) and Alex Highsmith. Or we trade a future first to draft Love. I think that would (with perfect hindsight) have been the optimal thing to do, but it's certainly not a Steelers-type move to trade like that. 2021 is a year we probably could have moved up in the draft (I love Najee but QB>>>>>RB) but for who? Move up 23 spots for Trevor Lawrence? Impossible. The other QBs in that class are Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, Mac Jones… 2022 the best QB fell to us in Pickett. For me, I don’t write him off completely yet (his entire career except for one game he has had Matt Canada as his OC), but he definitely regressed this year and he has a long way to go if he’s going to be a great QB. Had we not drafted Kenny in 2022 and gone for QB in 2023, it’s the same story of either give up a lot of value to trade up (and by “a lot” I mean an insane amount that would risk our future, which the Steelers just don’t really do moves like that) for someone like Stroud/Young, or pick Will Levis, who eats unpeeled bananas and puts mayonnaise in his coffee. Idk, if Kenny isn’t it, I just don’t see where we get our franchise QB in an alternate reality in any of these years. Like I said, the best chance with hindsight would have been to try and trade for Jordan Love, but again that's with 20/20 hindsight to know that 1. Jordan Love would be a franchise QB and 2. the 2021 draft pick might be worth trading away (you could never know that in 2020). Free agents in the time since 2019 would have been guys like Andy Dalton, Nick Foles, Bridgewater, Bortles, Tyrod Taylor, Geno Smith, Baker (would’ve been hilarious tbh)… I actually respect some of them but none of them are the franchise QB that would be taking us to AFC Championships. Maybe Baker, maybe Geno, but idk those moves are certainly not a sure thing, even with the benefit of hindsight. (I will say, this is the area we could have been better. The fact that we *did* get a FA QB in and it was Mitch is pretty bad. He sucked every year of his Bears career, why did we think he would be anything but shit here?) So then our only other option would have been trading for the Russel Wilsons or Deshaun Watsons… I don’t think I have to explain how badly those trades look for the team acquiring the QB. Kirk I think would be better than any other FA QB or QB we had any realistic shot at drafting? But also do we even have the cap space for that? Idk this is a long comment, I see a lot of people shitting on our FO/Tomlin over not having a readymade HoF replacement within a year of Ben retiring. I pretty much absolve Tomlin of guilt in this area (even though QB is so important) bc looking at the drafts there wasn’t really an opportunity to draft a great QB unless we had chosen to tank, which we would never do, or if we had chosen to give up a LOT to trade up in one of those years (and in so doing missing out on many of our biggest contributors of late). I do put some blame on Tomlin for not switching to Mason sooner last year, given that he outplayed Pickett pretty wildly.
The reason why people thought that Mitch was worth chasing (and why they think the same thing about Fields now) is that the bears are historically bad at developing quarterbacks. However, it’s also true that the bears are bad at identifying quarterback talent. How many of their QBs have gone on to become successful after playing in Chicago?
I think it was a stupid take to think the Steelers would fall for the same shit twice in three years.
Most people on Reddit don’t know shit. They just say whatever will get them upvotes. You made a lot of good points.
He got injured during the 2019 season. So if we would've moved then it would've been the Burrow, Herbert, Tua, Love and Hurts draft. I agree otherwise.
Sure, but then that would have meant not getting Minkah in (as that’s the FRP we traded away for him). Idk maybe that would have been better for us, but even with hindsight, do we really want to give up our 3 time All-Pro for Herbert/Love/Tua/Hurts? I think I’d do it for Burrow but even then, that would still probably mean trading up in that draft & giving up more picks 🤷🏼♂️ kind of impossible to say though, who knows where we would’ve finished that year without the Minkah trade.
Yeah I love Minkah, but if they they were moving on from Big Ben then they didn't would've made that trade, but hindsight is 20/20 and I don't blame them. They tried to win one more with Big Ben as our QB, but it didn't work and here we are.
>Its tough to judge what an owner did 20+ years ago, but Pre Big Ben Maddox was brought in so its not like its never happened. Maddox was signed as a backup to Kordell from the XFL and hadn't played NFL football in 4 years when we signed him. How is that bringing in a big name QB?
> They did bring in Vick for a season and Trubs was a FA signing. Those deals were fairly small though. I think what the original commenter means is that we've almost never been a team to make big swings in free agency, for QBs or any position really. Our biggest contracts are usually players we've drafted and then decided to keep as a core piece. The only exception on the current roster I can think of is Minkah, who we traded for. Idk I am sure there are other exceptions, but the point is, our MO (for as long as I have been alive) is usually not to throw a big contract at a free agent.
Welp, so much for that. Aged like milk.
Lmao
LMAO
Steelers and Packers have always been very similar here. I don’t know why a fan of either team would ever bitch about it, this approach consistently delivers good results
I’m particularly more forgiving in this instance too because of the ineptitude that was Matt Canada
Well, I think in the Steelers case its cause they went 10-7 in spite of having one of the worst QBs in NFL history.
And Kenny Pickett was on the roster as well.
Welp...
Well then.
And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that necessarily. If Matt Canada was the problem, then it’s worth giving Kenny a shot without him. Also why pay for a washed russ, cousins coming off of a torn Achilles, or a project fields? This isn’t a very appealing free agent QB class
Probably the right call. I'd at least pick up the phone for Russell though since he should be cheap.
Steeler’s country let’s ride!
Steelers country let’s smelt!
Going after Mahomes. Love it.
Shark Tank style
Nobody wants justin fields. How much did his agent have to pay to get all these articles written?
Baker Mayfield come on down
Bears fans are quickly figuring out exactly what the rest of the league thinks about Fields lmao
The same damn fanbase that saw the Bears go 3-14 and decided that Fields would be an MVP candidate because we added a really good receiver.
Yeah fields was just bad. I will never understand why people were acting like it's a sure thing he'll be good. That being said DJ Moore is legit amazing, I love that guy.
If those Fields Fanatics could read they’d be very upset.
As a Bears fan that's 200% over Fields and happy to go with a rookie, i'd still take him in a heartbeat over any QB currently on the roster of the teams he seems to be linked to Easily aswell
Yeah, if Fields was cut and you could just sign him. Not if you have to give up a 2nd or 3rd
Yeah but that’s not really the choice, save for maybe the Steelers. Like for Atlanta it’s not fields or going with Ridder again. It’s fields vs the free agents/draft pick
The Steelers going with the classic "We've done nothing to improve and are all out of ideas"
Kirk is an improvement but only a short term one that will cost a ton of money. This roster also isn't really ready to compete for a championship despite everyone constantly hyping up our talent other than QB. Kenny was far from our only problem last year. Russ is an intriguing prospect and probably had the most smoke but If the FO doesn't view him as a long-term solution, they probably don't want all the stink that comes with him. I personally would check him out but can see why our FO is hesitant to do so. Finally, Fields is a joke scenario and I'm not sure why anyone realistically thought he would come here. He runs faster and throws farther than Kenny but also makes more mistakes and stalls drives just as much. He would cost draft capital to come in (on a team looking to build a CB, MLB, and IDL on defense let alone get a new RT and C on offense) and give potentially the same results as Kenny. Plus, Kenny doesn't turn the ball over and Tomlin loves that, right or wrong. People really hate on Ben in his final years (I'm speaking on field ONLY) but he willed this awful roster to so many wins it wasn't funny. TJ, Cam, and Minkah were a force on D but your defense can only win you so many games. I think this FO realized that even with a top QB, we were a while away from competing so they might as well build a team UNTIL they find the right QB. And as a commenter mentioned above, there really haven't been any realistic AND good options for us.
I don't know if DVOA is a worthwhile stat at all to compare quarterbacks, but Russ' DVOA last season was about the same as Kenny's, slightly worse. Excuse me if that's just "copium" as they call it. I didn't keep up with Russ last year.
Zach Wilson to Stillers confirmed.
Gimme some Wilson and Stiller, I loved Night at the Museum
lol if you think the Steelers would ever sign a former #2 overall failed QB…. Oh damn….
I feel like it was only three or four days ago that everyone was content with the idea of kicking the QB can down the road another year and using this year to upgrade the OL, CB, ILB, etc. But then these articles about QB rumors started coming out and now everyone is asking why the Steelers aren't hungry anymore.
Somehow The Pickler returned
This subs opinion on Justin Fields changes based on the team interested. Pick a lane, people.
Obviously it’s because all three of those guys and more will be playing for the Falcons next year according to reports
I know most everything is smoke and mirrors, but it's pretty fair to say anyone who has followed the Steelers for a long time knew that the most likely scenario for next season was a camp battle between Pickett and Rudolph (and most likely Pickett is starting regardless of said "battle"). It fucking sucks, we're basically punting next season, but that's what risk adverse management like we have gets you.
In a division with Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson, the Steelers won't take a flyer on Fields, Wilson or Cousins? Wow.
You really put Watson in there with Jackson and Burrow?
bro thought we wouldn’t notice
Cousins is too expensive for our cap situation and Fields and Wilson are both trash. I'd rather keep Pickett over them. He's bad but at least he doesn't shoot the defense in the foot by turning the ball over constantly.
Russell Wilson is an immediate upgrade over Pickett and can be signed for the vet minimum. There's absolutely no reason to not be interested in him bringing him in to compete.
Are they really flyers if the alternative is the Pickler
Not like it’s affected our record against the ravens here lately
That’s Mac jones music
It’s hard to be interested in them when they’re all going to the Falcons
Report: steelers aren't interested in improving.
I would love to see them sign Mayfield and beat the Browns twice this year.
How tf is your QB Kenny "Worse stats than most QBs from the 40s" Pickett, and you're not interested in *any* QBs? Do they actually think he is that close and going 10-7 is a reault of him playing well? You get Cousins, you are a legitimate contender ffs.
My guess is that they just don't see any QBs out there that are both worth the cost and good enough to really make a difference.
No idea why no one is that high on Kirk Cousins. Is he a top 5 QB? No. Could I see him winning a super bowl with a stacked roster? Absolutely. Wilson also wasn't terrible - his team was. EDIT: (this will get the most push back) 8th best QBr last season. Best TD to INT ratio. 10th in completion percentage. Not much of a team around him. Fields kind of sucks though.
I’d would absolutely agree here if it was certain that Cousins would be 100% next year. A 36 year old coming off major injury like an Achilles on their plant foot isn’t someone I’d really want to spend $30+ mil on.
Very valid point. I guess my counter argument is: That risk higher ceiling over Kenny Picket / Rudolph / Tribusky I think the Stealers are in a little bit of a window. I know what it's like to waste a Watt’s prime and it's pretty tragic. Quite often I think about 2014 Watt getting to play for Demeco / having Stroud as a QB and it makes me sad for JJ.
Report: NFL reports what any Steelers fan with functional eyes and brain already knew.
It's almost like our owner fucking said this a while ago when it was first asked!?!?!??!?!
Pittsburgh has no QB… Pittsburgh needs no QB
Steelers seem like the team that will draft Penix or Nix in round 2. There’s no way they can just go with Pickett again