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We know the Pittsburgh Steelers are waiting on a decision from Aaron Rodgers, and we also know the team will be in a really bad spot if he doesn't sign.
That's because the Steelers don't have a starting-caliber quarterback on their roster. The only signal-callers under contract in Pittsburgh are Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, neither of whom are starters in the NFL.
The Steelers had a chance to give themselves another starting option in 2025 when the team had Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart both on the board at No. 21 overall, but the team opted to take Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon instead.
But, with that decision, a trade for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins becomes more likely.
Ahead of the draft, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that the Steelers were one of the teams that could get involved with Cousins. However, she also added that Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, may not be keen on joining a team that drafts a young quarterback considering what happened with the Falcons in 2024, when he was benched for Michael Penix Jr. due to poor play.
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"The Browns, Steelers and possibly Vikings could be involved in a Cousins trade," she wrote. "Minnesota is looked at as the least likely scenario, given its preference for J.J. McCarthy and that Cousins would need to sign off on any trade he is involved in. It’s believed that Cousins would be against any trade that involves sending him to a situation involving a young QB, similar to the situation he faced in Atlanta last year. If a trade were to happen, I’d expect it to go down on Saturday."
While the Steelers could still take a quarterback over the next few days, they don't have a second-round pick and the chances of them landing an immediate starter become more slim the longer they wait.
That could make Pittsburgh much more appealing to Cousins than the team would have been had it drafted a quarterback in Round 1. Cousins is less likely to feel threatened by a mid-round quarterback.
Cousins isn't exactly an inspiring option, though. He's coming off a terrible season and lacks the mobility the Steelers are looking for in their next starter. However, he remains a better option than both Rudolph and Thompson, and at the very least he'd offer strong competition.
The Steelers absolutely need to wait things out with Rodgers, seeing as how he's the best option the team has to truly compete in 2025. But if that fails, Cousins would be a worthwhile addition for Pittsburgh.
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