The Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers saga keeps dragging on as the 2025 NFL Draft approaches. The team still needs a starting quarterback, and the 20-year veteran is taking his time with a decision.
The Steelers hold the No. 21 pick in this year’s draft and are unlikely to trade up into the top 10 for one of the big-name QB prospects. So what’s the move? One ESPN analyst thinks Pittsburgh should trade for a 25-year-old quarterback just to have a backup plan in case Rodgers doesn’t sign.
ESPN Personality: Pittsburgh Steelers Should Trade for Will Levis
The Steelers have been searching for a long-term answer at quarterback ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season — and they still haven’t found one.
Rodgers has been linked to Pittsburgh for most of the offseason, but he has yet to sign, even after visiting the team facility. One of his former teammates doesn’t think a deal is coming anytime soon, which means the Steelers need a Plan B.
On ESPN’s “Unsportsmanlike Radio,” co-host Evan Cohen suggested the Steelers should trade for Titans quarterback Will Levis. The idea is to have at least a short-term option — especially if the Titans plan to take Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick.
With or without Aaron Rodgers, should the Steelers trade for Will Levis? 🤔 https://t.co/vM6CI2KU6I pic.twitter.com/IZ7awWRjty
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN)
“I’d trade for Will Levis. He’s not good, but he’s not Brett Rypien,” Cohen said. “That should not have been your plan, but … if you miss out on Rodgers, where the heck are you gonna go? At least he’s a guy that’s started.”
Chris Canty didn’t hate the pitch.
“Forget about what we saw last year,” Canty said. “There’s not a whole lot to work with in Tennessee last year, so I’m not going to dismiss whether Will Levis can or can’t be in this league. It’s still so early in his career, and he has a ton of talent, a lot of physical ability. But doesn’t that keep the Pittsburgh Steelers in the same position they’ve been in for the last half-decade?”
Per PFSN’s QB+ metrics, Levis ranked 37th in EPA per dropback from a clean pocket (0.03), 29th when pressured (-0.44), and 37th overall (-0.15) last season. He struggled in crunch time too — posting -0.49 EPA per dropback in the fourth quarter, ranking 39th. He finished with 13 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Bringing in Levis wouldn’t stop the Steelers from drafting a QB either. And now that Russell Wilson has signed with the New York Giants, that’s one less team chasing a rookie signal-caller, which slightly boosts Pittsburgh’s chances of finding a guy in the draft.
Levis wouldn’t solve the Steelers’ quarterback woes, but at least he’d give them something to work with. And right now, something might be better than nothing.
