The Pittsburgh Steelers started three different quarterbacks during the 2023 NFL season. The result was a 10-7 record and postseason berth, but one could argue much of the success was not based on the play of Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and Mitch Trubisky, but in spite of it. 

The hope was Pickett would improve upon his rookie season of 2022. He did not. Rudolph stepped in late and delivered, but he isn’t viewed as the future of the franchise and is now a free agent anyway. Mitch Trubisky isn’t on the team anymore, either. 

So the Steelers need to figure out what they want to do at QB for 2024. Whether it’s in-house, free agency, or the draft, Pittsburgh has many directions it could take. Elevate your wagering experience by following our NFL picks.

Bookies.com veteran oddsmaker Adam Thompson has used his resources of NFL contacts developed over 20 years covering the league to update his NFL futures odds on the Steelers’ QB for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. 

Pittsburgh Steelers Starting QB Odds

This market is for entertainment purposes only and has been created by the Bookies.com team. It is not currently available on betting apps. Percentages will not add up to 100% most time because these are designed to simulate odds a sportsbook would set.

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Kenny Pickett’s QBR rating of 38.1 ranked 27th out of 30 qualified quarterbacks. Only Mac Jones, Bryce Young, and Zach Wilson ranked lower. No QB outside of the Top 18 made the playoffs. Pickett was benched in favor of Mason Rudolph, who guided the team to three-straight wins to get the Steelers into the postseason. 

Pickett has been placed back on top of the depth chart this postseason. There is no No. 2 at the moment. 

Pittsburgh reportedly hopes to bring Rudolph back to compete with Pickett for the top spot. Pickett apparently gets the nod over Rudolph for the time being, despite a season QB rating of 81.4 that ranked far below Rudolph’s 118.0. 

Pittsburgh brings in a new offensive coordinator in former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith. It’s considered a good fit for the team, but is Pickett (or Rudolph) a good fit for Smith? 

The 2024 NFL Draft offers a few options. The Steelers draft No. 20 in the first round – far too deep to consider the likes of USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy may or may not be around at Pittsburgh’s spot. 

Pittsburgh may look to move up and acquire one of the blue-chip QBs. If not, who could be left at No. 20? 

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Michael Penix Jr. of Washington and Bo Nix of Oregon are potential first-rounders who had massive success this past fall. If Smith and head coach Mike Tomlin believe Pickett isn’t the future, the Steelers likely could have their pick of Penix or Nix. 

Other issues, including protecting a QB by improving a porous offensive line, may be the higher priority. 

Free agency also offers options, though it’s slightly limited due to cap issues. The team enters the off-season $4.3 million over the cap, so concessions would need to be made in order to add anyone with a new deal. 

There’s no way they can afford Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield, and it doesn’t seem like a huge upgrade to go with Tyrod Taylor, Josh Dobbs or Drew Lock. The Steelers apparently like the idea of adding a veteran such as Ryan Tannehill. If the belief is a steady QB under center makes this a contender again, then Tannehill checks a lot of boxes. Age (36) may not be a deterrent as a one-year gap QB, if he’s willing to take a considerable pay cut.

The other option is trade. 

Justin Fields was a dynamic QB at Ohio State but has floundered in three seasons with the Bears, amassing a bad 10-28 record with 40 pass TDs in 38 games (and 30 INTs). But the belief is that Fields could thrive with a change of scenery. Chicago owns the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, a draft rich with QB talent atop the board. Fields, with a modest cap hit of just $6 million, can reportedly be had for a second-rounder. 

Fields could be the best possible option for Pittsburgh, and he’s attainable. If Chicago looks to move Fields, expect the Steelers to be among the first callers. 

Russell Wilson won’t be the QB for the Broncos this season. Where he ends up is anyone’s guess, but he could be had for the NFL minimum -- the Broncos are due to pay him nearly $80 million over the next two years, whether he's on the team or not. 

The Washington Commanders own the No. 2 pick and are highly considered a QB selector in the draft. That means the team and new coach Dan Quinn would move on from Sam Howell, who in his second year led the NFL in pass attempts and interceptions, and in times sacked. Howell was a high-risk, high-reward QB who could shine with an O-line that can block. 

The Field includes pricier trade options such as Geno Smith or even Kyler Murray, as well as the aforementioned Big Three of the draft in Williams, Daniels and Maye. None of those options seems likely. 

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