The Pittsburgh Steelers will be on the lookout for a new starting quarterback this offseason as Ben Roethlisberger decided to hang up his cleats and retire. It will be the first time in nearly two decades that Pittsburgh will be looking for a new starting quarterback, as Roethlisberger was drafted in 2004 and took over the starting job a few weeks into the season.
The front office will have to decide what direction they want to go in. The Steelers have a roster that can compete as early as 2022 with a few tweaks. If the team can address the offensive line and bring in some run stoppers defensively, this is a team that will contend next season.
The 2022 NFL Draft will provide the chance for Pittsburgh to select their quarterback of the future. However, the prospects in this year’s class aren’t as highly regarded as recent classes or projected ones in the coming years. There is a chance that whoever is selected will need some time to develop before taking over as the starter.
So, no matter how you cut it, the Steelers need to land a veteran this offseason. It would be surprising if they turned the job over to Mason Rudolph, who has shown he is better suited as a backup. Dwayne Haskins, who was selected by the Washington Football team in 2019 looked overwhelmed at the beginning of his career and may not be ready to take over as a starter.
If the Steelers landed someone such as Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson they would be instant contenders. However, even a veteran such as Matt Ryan would put them in a better position offensively than they have been in recent seasons.
Over at Yardbarker, some predictions were made for the offseason and one of them is the Atlanta Falcons trading Ryan to Pittsburgh. If the Steelers want a veteran under center in 2022, Ryan will be cheaper to obtain than the other quarterbacks mentioned, meaning Pittsburgh’s front office can commit resources to other needs on the roster.
Even in what is considered a down season for Ryan, as he failed to reach 4,000 yards passing for the first time since 2010, he outperformed Roethlisberger basically across the board. Nearly all of his advanced passing stats, according to Stathead Football via Pro-Football-Reference, were better than Roethlisberger.
Ryan also threw for more yards despite an underwhelming supporting cast. It would be interesting to see what he could do with Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and possibly JuJu Smith-Schuster at wide receiver.
Ryan’s performance was solid considering that Calvin Ridley stepped away from the team after five games, leaving Justin Gage Jr. and Olamide Zaccheaus to operate as the No. 1 and 2 wide receivers. Arguably his best weapon was Cordarrelle Patterson, who was a hybrid player but played more running back as the season wore on. Despite playing in only five games, Ridley finished the season fifth on the team in receiver yards.
With two years remaining on his deal, Ryan would be a strong placeholder for a younger quarterback, mentoring him and showing him the ropes of the NFL. He would buy Pittsburgh some time as they develop a Haskins or a 2021 draft pick at the position.
