Henry McKenna
NFL Reporter
In a vacuum, there is a logical explanation for every one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason moves. GM Omar Khan has made a series of good decisions.
On the trade market, the Steelers splashed by adding receiver DK Metcalf, an elite playmaker who essentially cost a second-round pick. Why the heck not?
In free agency, they made several deals with depth players, but the highlight was signing veteran cornerback Darius Slay. He’s a star for their defense at a premium position. Again, why the heck not?
The Steelers drafted DT Derrick Harmon, RB Kaleb Johnson and DE Jack Sawyer over the first four rounds. Harmon might end up being the best defensive tackle in the draft class. Johnson is supposed to be the second coming of Najee Harris, whom the Steelers let walk in free agency. Sawyer was a terrific value in Round 4, and he’ll go into that impressive pass-rush pipeline behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Pittsburgh passed on Shedeur Sanders four times (along with everyone else), but the Steelers did draft a QB: Will Howard out of Ohio State. So yeah, why the heck not?
On Wednesday, the Steelers agreed to terms on a trade sending receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Pickens was reportedly a huge headache for Mike Tomlin. And that’s saying something, because Tomlin put up with Antonio Brown for nine years. Tomlin sold high on Brown, Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and, perhaps, now Pickens. Plus, it explains further why the Steelers traded for Metcalf and drafted receiver Roman Wilson last year on Day 2. And if the Steelers were going to sell on Pickens, it makes some sense to add to their warchest of 12 picks in 2026, when they’ll be equipped to get a quarterback.
You already know what I’m about to say, but I’ve got to say it one last time: Why the heck not?
But if you’re feeling like something is missing, that’s because you’ve seen Pittsburgh’s current depth chart at QB: Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, Howard.
That’s the worst quarterback room in the NFL. Even the Cleveland Browns look better than that.
Aaron Rodgers remains on the fence about where and whether he’s going to play next year. He has long been connected to the Steelers. In March, team owner Art Rooney said Rodgers was “headed in our direction.” But we’ve seen no progress.
Without Rodgers, the Steelers don’t have a plan at quarterback.
And without a plan at quarterback, the Steelers don’t have an overarching plan at all.
Should Steelers have drafted a QB earlier while waiting on Aaron Rodgers?
I can justify all the moves they’ve made this offseason. But I can’t yet cobble together what the Steelers are trying to accomplish this year. If they wanted to win with Rodgers, maybe they would’ve stomached Pickens for one more year. It’s a Tomlin-led team, so there’s no way they’re tanking. But if they’re rebuilding, why would they trade for the 27-year-old Metcalf? Why would they sign the 34-year-old Slay? Those moves pointed to a team that felt like it was a quarterback away.
It still seems like Rodgers will end up in Pittsburgh. In fact, there are reports that veteran receiver Allen Lazard, who played with Rodgers on the Packers and Jets, could replace Pickens with the Steelers. But not everyone around the organization seems to be counting on the four-time NFL MVP.
Steelers minority stakeholder Thomas Tull said in an interview with CNBC that signing Rodgers is “a more complex issue” than even AI, the field in which Tull works.
Rodgers appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” ahead of the draft to explain where he stands with the Steelers. He said he’s dealing with things in his personal life. He hasn’t decided about retirement. He hasn’t ruled out signing with Pittsburgh — or another NFL team.
“I’ve said [to the Steelers,] ‘Listen, if you need to move on, by all means,’” Rodgers said. “I am trying to be open to everything and not specifically attached to anything. … I’m not holding anybody hostage.”
Look, this is the problem with dalliances with Rodgers. He’s a box of fireworks. You never know what you’re going to get. Now, if the Steelers want a box of chocolates instead, they can go after Kirk Cousins on the trade market. You still never really know what you’re going to get, but at least he’s a sweet guy — far less explosive than the other option. The Falcons have claimed they won’t trade Cousins, but they almost certainly will.
With the draft over, those are the only realistic options at quarterback for the Steelers. They can’t in good conscience start Rudolph, the best QB on their current roster. They can’t sign Desmond Ridder, Carson Wentz or Teddy Bridgewater (the best free-agent options) and expect one of them to be an effective starter.
At this point, it’s Rodgers or Cousins.
The Pickens trade doesn’t change that — nor is it a major surprise. Long before the draft, he had been entrenched in trade rumors, and he unfollowed the Steelers on social media. It’s not an alteration of the plan; it’s just when the Steelers could finally offload him. But in doing so, they’ve now moved on from their leading passer (Russell Wilson), leading rusher (Harris) and leading receiver.
This is an offseason of big moves for the Steelers. It’s just that the big moves don’t point to a clear plan. It won’t make any sense until the Steelers make their biggest move of all: finding a quarterback.
Before joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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