Steelers missed prime quarterback window in 2024 NFL draft

Quarterback has been a sticking point for the Pittsburgh Steelers ever since the legendary Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. The coaching staff and front office have consistently mishandled the position in the three seasons since, and fans are hoping 2025 doesn't mark a fourth year of quarterback struggles.

In 2022, the Steelers signed Mitch Trubisky to be the starter and spent a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Kenny Pickett. Both moves proved to be failures as Pickett was the starter in 2023 and provided very little in terms of hope for the future.

Then the 2024 offseason rolled around. NFL draft pundits were hyping up the 2024 NFL draft quarterback class. This was a loaded group and well ahead of the start of free agency, it looked like this could be a historic top of the first round.

The Steelers, however, ignored all of this. Instead, they completely gutted the quarterback depth chart and instead of eyeing a rookie, went with veterans Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen. Which turned out to be another failed experiment.

Instead, the Steelers could have moved up from their original No. 20 overall pick into the top 10 and pick one of these quarterbacks. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix all went in the first 12 picks. The Atlanta Falcons didn't even need a quarterback at the time but recognized how good Penix was and used their No. 8 pick on him.

Had the Steelers been aggressive, they could have gotten up to No. 8 with the Falcons and had their pick of Penix, McCarthy or Nix and the team wouldn't be worrying about what Aaron Rodgers can do this season or what 2026 will hold.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers missed prime quarterback window in 2024 NFL draft