Getty Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reacts from the sideline.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could add another veteran quarterback to the locker room.
According to Andrew Fillipponi of CBS Sports Radio, the Steelers could be looking to add another arm with their current group of quarterbacks. Fillipponi suggests Pittsburgh should pursue 17-year veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who remains a free agent after missing essentially the entire 2021 season due to a hip injury suffered in Week 1.
“So the Steelers could now sign a veteran free agent QB to fill-out their quarterback depth chart,” says Fillipponi. “I’d take a shot on Ryan Fitzpatrick. I think he’s better than Trubisky. And could help groom your rookie QB.”
Fitzpatrick May Emerge as Steelers’ Best Option
With the exception of Tom Brady, Fitzpatrick — along with Aaron Rodgers — would enter the 2022 season as the longest-playing quarterback. Fitzpatrick initially entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft selection of the Los Angeles Rams back in 2005.
The 39-year-old quarterback entered the 2021 campaign as the Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback. Prior to signing with the Commanders last season, Fitzpatrick had seen time as the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback in the prior two seasons.
While Fitzpatrick has never led a team to the playoffs, he’s carved out a career as a well-respected journeyman quarterback. The Harvard alum has played and started for nine different teams in his career.
During his most recent full season starting — in 2019 with the Dolphins — Fitzpatrick posted a 76.5 offensive grade, according to Pro Football Focus. That number ranked 14th among all starting quarterbacks in the league that season.
The Steelers currently have returnee Mason Rudolph and free agent signee Mitch Trubisky on their roster. By comparison, Rudolph posted a 53.5 offensive grade during his lone season as a starter in 2019 and was benched by head coach Mike Tomlin in favor of undrafted free agent Devlin Hodges.
Meanwhile, Trubisky’s career-high in offensive grade is 66.4, which he posted during his rookie season with the Chicago Bears back in 2017.
While much attention has been fixated on the idea that the Steelers will target a quarterback prospect in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, that would still leave Pittsburgh with just three quarterbacks on its roster.
As stated by general manager Kevin Colbert back in February, the plan for the Steelers is to enter camp with four quarterbacks. It’s worth mentioning that Colbert says the Steelers will enter the offseason with Rudolph as the starter.
Via Brooke Pryor of ESPN:
“We know we’re going to add to the position,” Colbert said of the QB position. “I can’t tell you how at this point. We will go to camp with four. If we had to start today with Mason as our starter, let’s go. We’ll try to build the best team around him.”
Assuming the Steelers do draft a quarterback in the early part of the 2022 NFL draft, one would think Pittsburgh will opt to sign another veteran quarterback as a fourth arm prior to training camp.
Fitzpatrick could very well emerge as that guy.
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Steelers Will Host Malik Willis for Visit
As the Steelers prepare for their first selection in the 2022 NFL draft, they’re hosting another highly-touted quarterback prospect. As reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Steelers are hosting Malik Willis for a visit on Wednesday, April 20.
“Liberty QB Malik Willis continues his tour of teams in the QB market this week, the final week for Top 30 visits,” says Rapoport. “Willis visits the Lions tomorrow and the Steelers on Wednesday, sources say. Detroit picks No. 2 and Pittsburgh picks No. 20.”
Many have Willis projected as the top quarterback prospect in this year’s draft. According to Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, he has Willis projected as the first quarterback selected, going No. 9 to the Seattle Seahawks on draft day.
“We’ve been upfront about Willis: we have a second-round grade on him based on his body of work in college, but that doesn’t mean teams looking for a quarterback won’t take one a round or so before they should,” says Wilson.
If the Steelers hope to draft Willis, they may have to pull off a draft day trade to move up in order to do so.