The Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback in 2022 would be Mason Rudolph if the season started today. Fortunately, head coach Mike Tomlin and the front office are reportedly targeting several quarterbacks in NFL free agency.
Looking to replace Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh knows it needs to find a new face of the franchise. Trading for Deshaun Watson is unlikely and the 2022 draft quarterbacks lack a surefire talent.
The organization is looking into the top free-agent quarterbacks in 2022. As the start of the free-agency period approaches, three signal-callers are reportedly on Pittsburgh’s radar to replace Rudolph and mentor a young rookie.
Related: Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly high on 2022 QB prospect Malik Willis
According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, Mitch Trubisky, Teddy Bridgewater and Jameis Winston are the Steelers’ free-agent targets.
All three quarterbacks would provide Pittsburgh with a level of immediate stability, providing it a chance to stay competitive in 2022. In the case of Winston and Trubisky, both also offer some upside that could be unlocked under the right circumstances.
We’ve explained why the Pittsburgh Steelers are a great landing spot for Bridgewater. Tomlin knows he could depend on the veteran quarterback to play within the offense, keeping things structured and not making mistakes in key moments.
Trubisky and Winston are more volatile starters. However, Winston played very well before tearing his ACL and would likely provide better peak moments than Roethlisberger did in 2021. As for Trubisky, there is a buzz surrounding him after he spent the 2021 season learning from Brian Daboll.
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If Malik Willis is the quarterback Pittsburgh wants to draft, any of these three free-agent passers would be the perfect bridge starter. The Steelers wouldn’t have to rush Willis, allowing him to develop and thus increasing his odds of achieving his sky-high potential.