Stephen A. Smith and Dan Orlovsky have their views on where the Pittsburgh Steelers should go in their search for a QB next year. For Smith, staying in-house with Russell Wilson is on the table. For Orlovsky, get an Etch-a-sketch and wipe it clean.
Speaking on Thursday’s First Take, Smith offered grace for Wilson’s performance, which contributed to the Steelers’ five-game loss.
“I don’t think they were satisfied [Justin Fields] “Just like they were with Russell.” Smith told the show. “I also think Russell gets some redemption because he can see what trouble George Pickens has. Not to mention the fact that if you’re the Pittsburgh Steelers, who’s your legit number?”
A lack of weapons was a concern for Pittsburgh throughout the offseason and during the regular season. The Steelers have found no one to replace Diontae Johnson after being traded to the Carolina Panthers in March 2024. Rookie Roman Wilson has been injured for most of the season and nearly sent free agent signings Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller away. Pickens missed three games with a hamstring injury, had a tendency to get upset mid-game, and the Steelers were attempting to fit a lot of new pieces in a year. It was especially demanding considering Wilson missed nearly the entire summer with a calf injury after pushing a sled.
Smith wasn’t enthusiastic about Wilson as the Steelers’ QB, but saw him as the best mediocre option.
“So I think with the question marks surrounding the others, the ability to go out there and either outperform someone or fall short, we end up sticking with Russell Wilson. Because how much does it actually cost?”
Wilson could still cost the Steelers a significant amount of money. The latest PFF projections have him making $35 million per year, and even that would require a bit of a contract. Starting quarterbacks aren’t cheap, and backups are paid well, too. Gardner Minshew signed a contract worth $12.5 million per year with the Las Vegas Raiders last year, initially putting him on the bench midway through the season.
Orlovsky proposed a new plan that did not include Wilson or Fields.
“Whoever isn’t in the building is the answer for me,” he said of the Steelers’ QB situation. “You have to become someone else. If that was going to be the Justin I championed, I played him this year and found out exactly what he was. How to build Him up, all that stuff. They didn’t do that. So he’s still a huge question mark.
“Russell has played well this year. But you know what you’re getting into with Russ. You would be 10-7, 9-8. If you come in, you’re out of the playoffs in the first round.”
It’s a fair point. Wilson may have a lower ceiling as he gets older. Especially if your mobility continues to decrease. Fields offers upside, but leading an offense capable of scoring 20 points per game could end up in the same spot. In Orlovsky’s view, that’s a reason to start anew. The problem with that plan is the lack of options. Free agency essentially offers little to Sam Darnold. The draft class is weak and Pittsburgh isn’t going to make a big run for Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s shade Sanders.
This is why Pittsburgh feels trapped. Because most of them are. There is no Magic Wand or Slam-Dunk solution for Wilson, Fields or Door Number Three. Until the Steelers find it, which probably won’t come until 2026. fastestThey won’t avoid holes.
