Steelers' Art Rooney II doesn't rule out a blockbuster trade at QB during free agency or NFL Draft
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in rarified air. For nearly two decades, they had their unquestioned leader and franchise QB at the helm with Ben Roethlisberger. But since his retirement, the team has started and drafted multiple QBs, with the hope that Kenny Pickett can be the next great QB to dawn the black and gold. And […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in rarified air.
For nearly two decades, they had their unquestioned leader and franchise QB at the helm with Ben Roethlisberger.
But since his retirement, the team has started and drafted multiple QBs, with the hope that Kenny Pickett can be the next great QB to dawn the black and gold.
And while that could still very well happen, team president and owner Art Rooney II isn't going to sit back and hope:
Potential Blockbuster Trade?
“As we sit here in early February, we’re not closing the door on anything,” Rooney told Bob Pomepeani of KDKA-TV on Tuesday when asked about a potential for a trade. “We have a lot of evaluations to go through. We’ll go through all the options and do what we need to do to be better this coming season.”
This comes off the heels of a radio hit that Rooney did on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, where he seemingly took a shot at Pickett:
“I think the biggest thing we need is quality play at the quarterback position,” Rooney said. “Mason Rudolph came in and showed, I think, what we’re capable of when we do get quality play at the quarterback position.”
Now, the Steelers have already been tied to QB Ryan Tannehill for obvious reasons, seeing as he and newly hired OC Arthur Smith have a relationship going back to Smith's time in Tennessee. But that move would more so be insurance behind Pickett, especially if Mason Rudolph departs in free agency, something Rooney admitted could happen:
"He is a free agent. We’ll see,” Rooney said when asked about a potential return of QB Mason Rudolph. “He may have options, too. We’ve kept the door open to continue those conversations.”
But a trade would shift the entire dynamic of the offseason. You don't trade for QBs like Russell Wilson or Justin Fields to sit.
No, you trade for QBs like that to start, or compete for the starting job at the very least.
So with free agency a little over a month away, we'll see if Rooney is all talk, or if the new Steelers front office continues their trend of offseason trades, but this time at the most important position in sports.
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