The Pittsburgh Steelers likely don’t intend on entering Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season with a quarterback room of Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Skylar Thompson.
The most ideal route in the eyes of Pittsburgh’s front office is presumably signing four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers in free agency. However, Rodgers is yet to make a decision on retirement, and there’s no guarantee he inks a deal with the Steelers if he decides to remain in the league.
Let’s assume Rodgers is off the table. Pittsburgh could turn to a former Super Bowl MVP to act as a short-term starter next season.
Steelers Predicted To Trade for Joe Flacco
The Cleveland Browns undoubtedly have the most crowded QB core in the league, with Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders on the roster. It’s hard to imagine all five of these players are under contract with the Browns by the trade deadline, and it’s easy to see why Flacco could be the first to go.
Pickett, Gabriel, and Sanders hold upside, which Flacco no longer possesses, while Watson’s contract will scare off any QB-needy team. Bleacher Report predicts this will open the door for the Steelers to trade for Flacco, listing Pittsburgh as a top landing spot for the former Super Bowl MVP.
“Flacco will presumably serve as the Browns’ veteran bridge while they audition Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders for the future. However, if one of the youngsters emerges as a viable starter early in the offseason, Flacco could be expendable,” B/R’s Kristopher Knox wrote.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers may also have interest in a veteran like Flacco if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t sign with them. The 41-year-old has yet to decide whether he’ll play in 2025, but Pittsburgh does have interest in adding him,” Knox continued. “The Browns might ask for a premium if they were to trade a quarterback to a division rival, though.”
At 40 years old, Flacco is nowhere near the player he was during the 2012 title run with the Baltimore Ravens. However, he led the Browns to a 4-1 record as a starter in 2024 and came in at No. 23 in PFSN’s QB+ metric last season.
It seems likely that Flacco would outperform the Steelers’ current trio, but later in the year, head coach Mike Tomlin could turn to the rookie, Howard. Trading for Flacco is a low-risk, high-reward move that becomes especially important if the Steelers are unable to land Rodgers.