By Sean Labar
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 5-2 and appear to be a legitimate playoff team yet again this season, but there is still uncertainty about the team’s future franchise QB.
Shedeur Sanders is the answer.
Before you start slamming your fists on the table and spamming me with comments about how idiotic I am and this is just some hot take, take a deep breath and hear me out.
As it stands, the Steelers are keeping true to their brand of football, relying heavily on a strong run game, ferocious defense and a good enough QB to find open receivers off play-action passes and short, easy routes.
For the first six weeks of the season, Mike Tomlin turned to former Chicago Bears’ starting QB Justin Fields — one of two veteran signal callers with significant starting experience — to lead the Steelers’ offense.
Russell Wilson, who Tomlin named as the team’s starter over the summer, was nursing an injury and Fields did enough to get the Steelers to 4-2.
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But a further dive into the numbers paints the real picture. Fields only surpassed the 200-yard mark in two of his six starts.
But just like he did in so many of his NFL starts, he thrived as a runner, rushing on designed QB keepers or when the pocket collapsed.
Why are we talking about Fields when Wilson is now the starting QB? Because while Wilson has had more success through the air as a passer, the Steelers’ offense doesn’t have a dynamic, game-changing starting quarterback who can make a tough tight-window throw to win the game.
Wilson isn’t that player anymore. Sanders is arguably the most accurate quarterback in the country.
Heading into Week 9, Pittsburgh ranks No. 31 in the NFL in pass attempts per game. Conversely, they rank second in rushing attempts per game and their offensive strategy is working, as they average 138.1 rushing yards per game (8th in the NFL).
Yes, the Steelers need a WR2
As it stands, most casual football fans wouldn’t see a logical way for Colorado star QB Shedeur Sanders to end up with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
At the midway point of the season, CBS Sports ranks Sanders as the No. 12 overall prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft and the No. 2 QB, behind Cam Ward of Miami.
Sitting at 6-2, barring a massive collapse, it’s safe to say the Steelers won’t have a high draft pick and Sanders will likely be drafted within the top ten, considering the desperation for teams to find a franchise QB.
But while conventional wisdom would lead fans to believe the Steelers will target a WR in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft to play opposite of George Pickens, this is a deep enough class when it comes to finding a starting-caliber pass-catcher in the second round.
In PFF’s latest Mock Draft posted on Monday, it’s clear that experts believe the 2025 class is loaded with first-round caliber edge rushers, defensive backs, offensive linemen and defensive tackles.
PFF currently has five wide receivers getting selected in the first round — which includes Colorado’s Travis Hunter who currently plays both WR and CB — and will likely have to pick one position ahead of the NFL Draft.
Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan is a lock for the first round, and behind Hunter, the most talented pass-catcher of the class. Luther Burden III (Missouri) is the only other certain first round WR prospect of the class.
PFF has Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka and Texas’ Isaiah Bond getting selected late in the first round, but in a draft loaded with defensive talent and big men on both sides of the ball, it isn’t a stretch to say either could fall into the second round.
But even if all five of those pass catchers hear their name called on Day 1 next April, there’s an impressive list of names that could go in the second round or even the third, who could start opposite of Pickens immediately in the NFL.
While Pickens has proven to have the perfect combination of speed and size to be a true No. 1 WR in the NFL, another wideout with a similar or different unique skillset could transform the Steelers’ offense all together.
Ole Miss WR Tre Harris has been one of the best receivers in the country this season and at 6’3, 210 pounds, he would be the perfect compliment to Pickens as the Steelers’ WR 2.
Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor is another athletic freak at 6’2, 210 pounds who is another big-bodied wideout who can go up for 50/50 balls and come down with contested catches
The Steelers had a speedy downfield threat in Diontae Johnson but traded him to the Panthers in the offseason. While he hasn’t had many targets in Pittsburgh’s run-heavy offense this season, Calvin Austin III has proven he can take the top off a defense and has the tools to fill the void left by Johnson.
It was widely reported the Steelers were interested in Brandon Aiyuk over the offseason and even made an offer, but the 49ers opted to ink him to a deal to keep him in San Francisco for four more years.
It’s also important to mention the Steelers are expected to have the fourth most salary cap space in 2025 with $67.98 million available to add new talent and extent current players according to OverTheCap.com.
While there won’t be a massive pool of big-time WRs in free agency, Pittsburgh could make a move to sign Tee Higgins from their rival Bengals, who is clearly the best wideout that will be available as a free agent after this season.
Why & How the Pittsburgh Steelers Will Draft Shedeur Sanders in 2025
While the Steelers are 6-2, it’s important to look at their schedule which paints a clear picture. Pittsburgh’s best win came in Week 1 over the Falcons, who hadn’t found their groove yet with Kirk Cousins playing his first game in Atlanta.
The Steelers squeaked out an 18-10 victory largely due to their defense, who forced two interceptions and a forced fumble.
After that, Pittsburgh barely snuck past the Broncos 13-6, beat the Chargers 20-10 at home, and have won their last three straight games over struggling teams in the Raiders, Jets, and Giants. Even more notable, are the two losses. The Steelers fell to the Cowboys (3-4) and Colts (4-4).
While the 2024 Steelers look like a playoff team, it will be interesting to see how they match up against the upper-tier squads left on their regular season schedule. They have two matchups against the Ravens, a road trip vs. the Commanders, a trip to Philly to battle the Eagles and host the Chiefs on Christmas Day.
Feel free to rip me on X @seanlabarpr, but this doesn’t look like a squad capable of making a deep run in the AFC loaded with talent.
Why?
Just look around. The best teams in the AFC have an elite, game-changing QB like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen. Wilson is past his prime and is putting up decent numbers against bad teams, but when he’s forced to win the game in the playoffs on a final drive with the clock under two minutes, can he still do it?
I’m almost certain he can’t. This team isn’t built to win a Lombardi Trophy this year, but they are good enough to compete with the good teams in the NFL and beat the lesser-talented teams they are supposed to.
But it’s impossible to ignore the obvious talent — particularly on defense — but on both sides of the ball. From TJ Watt to Cam Heyward, to Patrick Queen, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Joey Porter Jr., the organization has built a squad that can win now.
On offense, Pickens has emerged as a true No. 1 WR, while Pat Freiermuth looks like the next ultra-talented tight end to play for the Steelers. The Pittsburgh brass will have to give Freiermuth an extension this offseason — and also make tough decisions about the running back duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren who are both playing in the final year of their contracts — but the Steelers are a dynamic QB away from contending for Super Bowls again.
Let’s not get it twisted. Deion Sanders will ensure his son doesn’t go to a dysfunctional franchise like the Panthers or Raiders. He wants to set his son up for success and Mike Tomlin has built a culture in Pittsburgh that is unmatched.
With both Wilson and Fields playing on one-year deals, it would be smart to keep one of them (likely Wilson) to mentor Sanders, who has a similar skillset to the former Seahawks’ QB in his prime.
It may take some draft capital or even a player nobody expects to pull off a trade for the Pittsburgh Steelers to draft Shedeur Sanders, but I’m calling it now.
It just makes too much sense.
