Get those clicks! Move that needle! Blogs and websites along with their brethren in the radio and TV industries will do anything to boost their numbers. They will lie. They will exaggerate. They will literally make things up in order for you to tune in. This is nothing new to most of you yet more often than not, they get you talking. Take for example the three most often repeated rumors on what the Pittsburgh Steelers will do at quarterback. I am one who never says “never” but these three commonly held rumors make zero sense to me.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Since arriving in San Francisco in 2017, Garoppolo has played in 45 of a possible 81 games. Only one time did he play in all 16 games and another he played in 15 games. The other three seasons however he played in 6, 3 and 6 games. Contrary to popular belief, he is not a free agent and the Steelers would have to trade for him. He is scheduled to make $24.2 million in base salary for 2022 then he becomes a free agent.
So why would the Steelers make such a trade? First of all, it would cost them at least two draft picks if not more and for a team with so many needs this is exactly what you don’t do in this situation. Secondly, I don’t really see him as a fit The Steelers are not a “quarterback away” from contending in 2022 so making this deal for a guy who struggles in key moments and is often injured is ridiculous.
Aaron Rodgers
Like Garoppolo, Steelers’ fans are under the impression that Rodgers is a free agent. He is not. He has a year left in 2022 and then a voidable year in 2023. For next season he is scheduled to make $26.4 million in base salary and has a cap hit of over $46 million. Again, the Steelers are not a “quarterback away” from contending.
While Rodgers has been pretty healthy overall, he’s 39 years old and would be playing behind a rebuilt and once again young offensive line. The bigger issue perhaps is why would the Steelers want to go from one massive QB cap hit to another? Despite their unusual amount of cap space in 2022, this would eat a monstrous portion of that and it just doesn’t make any sense. And the starting price would be two firsts along with probably a second and a third. Hard pass.
Russell Wilson
The Seattle QB is 34 years old and has TWO years left on his current deal. His cap hits the next two seasons are $37 and $0 million respectively. Again I ask, why would you cap-strap yourself with a QB when your team needs so much more? Throughout his career, Wilson has played behind average to below average O-lines. His career has likely been shortened due to the punishment and why in the world would he want to do that to himself again in Pittsburgh?
Of the three options, I admit that Wilson would be the best when you factor in everything there is to consider. I just have a hard time seeing two things here. One, why hamper yourself cap-wise AGAIN? Two, do we have any idea of the amount of draft picks this would take to get it done? Seattle wouldn’t want peanuts.
We have seen the Steelers and Kevin Colbert do some “un-Steeler” like things in recent years whether they be related to the salary cap or trades so again, ‘never say never.’ But any of these very popular moves with the fans would set the franchise back further and that’s the last thing we need.
