There will be a lot of discussion about what the Pittsburgh Steelers do this offseason at the quarterback position. They said goodbye to a legend this offseason, as Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement, putting an end to his Hall of Fame career.

Now, as a result, the Steelers are looking for a new starting quarterback for the first time in nearly two decades. There are numerous routes the team could take, one of which is free agency.

The market isn’t flush with high-end options, but there are certainly some intriguing ones if the Steelers want to save some money to spend elsewhere, such as along the offensive line. Arguably the best one available is Jameis Winston of the New Orleans Saints.

Winston spent a season learning behind Drew Brees in 2020 before taking over as the Saints’ starter in 2021. He was putting together a pretty strong season before a knee injury suffered in Week 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

That injury derailed the Saints’ season, as Winston was playing at a relatively high level. He was producing the highest quarterback rating of his career and was on pace to have his best rushing numbers as well. Reportedly well ahead of schedule on his rehab, he could be ready to go by Week 1 of the 2022 season.

Over at ESPN, they did a simulation for how the quarterback market would unfold this offseason. Winston is one of the players that the Steelers targeted in this simulation, and the fit makes a lot of sense.

Here is what Brooke Pryor said about Winston’s fit with the Steelers as a free agent target. Pittsburgh offered a two-year, $10 million deal with $6.5 million guaranteed in this exercise.

“There would be up to $3.5M in snap-count incentives for at least 70% of snaps, plus a playoff bonus (if you play at least 70% of snaps), and the deal would carry a team option for the second year. Surrounded with young offensive weapons and a complementary star-studded defense, you’ll help keep the Super Bowl window open and have a real opportunity to be the next franchise quarterback of the Steelers.”

Ultimately, Winston turned that deal down in the simulation as he received more guaranteed money from the Saints. Pittsburgh seems closer to contending than New Orleans, but familiarity and more money won out in this scenario.

The Steelers are unlikely to break the bank for a quarterback coming off of injury no matter how good he looked before he went down. But, Winston, at 28-years old, would be a great pickup for Pittsburgh as he could be the starting quarterback for years to come.