5 QBs the Steelers can replace Russell Wilson with that don’t involve draft picks

Russell Wilson made the Pro Bowl this season after leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to the postseason, but with Wilson hitting free agency this offseason, it certainly appears that the team will move on from the former Seahawks signal caller.

Under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have never finished under .500, but the team will need to land a strong replacement for Wilson to keep that streak alive.

While potential rookies like Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe could be options for the Steelers, below are four non-rookies that the team could turn to in 2025.

Sam Darnold

2024 was a resurgent season for Sam Darnold as he led the Vikings to a playoff berth and one of the NFC's best records, but the Vikings also spent a first-round pick in 2024 on J.J. McCarthy, who might have won the starting job over Darnold if it hadn't been for a torn meniscus that cost him his rookie season.

Now, the Vikings have a big decision to make. If 2024 was a sign that Darnold has turned a corner, it makes sense to bring him back and try to make another run.

But there's no guarantee that Darnold will replicate his 2024 success. If the Vikings aren't confident in Darnold continuing to play high-level football, they could choose to let him go in free agency. If that happens, he would be the top quarterback on the market and a huge target for the Steelers. There's no guarantee he maintains his 2024 form and it should definitely give teams pause if Minnesota moves on, but there's no better swing that the Steelers could make.

Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins isn't a free agent yet, but the Falcons are expected to move on from him after benching Cousins late in the 2024 season for rookie Michael Penix Jr.

Cousins struggled with turnovers in his lone season with the Falcons, throwing a league-high 16 interceptions. In 14 games, he threw 18 touchdown passes, the same amount he threw in 2023 when he played just eight games.

It certainly looked like the torn Achilles that Cousins suffered in 2023 had taken something out of the veteran passer, but maybe another year removed from the injury, he can bounce back to something resembling his old form.

Signing Cousins would be a risky move based on his 2024 play, but you could do worse than an experienced passer who knows how to win regular season games.

Derek Carr

Could the Steelers look to the trade market?

Derek Carr played 10 games in New Orleans this past season as he dealt with injury issues, but he was solid in those 10 games, completing 67.7 percent of his pass attempts for 2,145 yards and 15 touchdowns. He threw five interceptions.

Carr has long been a reliable, underrated quarterback, someone who won't single-handedly win you a bunch of games but won't single-handedly lose you a bunch of games either.

Will the Saints move him though? The Saints were winless in games that Carr didn't start in 2024, so it really depends on what this team wants to do about its future. If the team trades Carr post-June 1, the team saves $40 million on its 2025 cap, and while there's a $28.67 million dead cap hit that would come in 2026, it would still provide some financial flexibility for a team in need of that.

If the Saints do hire Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as head coach as rumors have indicated, bringing in a new quarterback could help reset a Saints franchise that has frankly lacked direction over the past few seasons.

Justin Fields

With Russell Wilson still injured to start the year, the Steelers turned to Justin Fields, the former No. 11 overall pick who the team traded for last March. Fields started six games for Pittsburgh, going 4-2 as a starter.

There remain major questions about Fields as a passer though. His legs make him an incredibly dangerous player, but he's struggled with accuracy during his brief time in the NFL, though he did complete a career-best 65.8 percent of his passes in 2024.

The bigger problem with re-signing Fields is that there appears to be some disconnect between him and star wide receiver George Pickens, which could pose an issue. Fields has said this offseason that he would like to return to the Steelers, but a disconnect between him and Pickens could threaten that.

Still, Fields has some familiarity with the system and showed he's made some strides with his accuracy, even if he's likely never going to be among the top passers in the league. His mobility can make up for some of that.

Pittsburgh might want a more experienced quarterback this offseason, but letting Wilson go and bringing Fields back on a team-friendly deal is certainly not the worst possibility.

Mason Rudolph

Finally, maybe a reunion between the Steelers and Mason Rudolph could be brewing?

Rudolph started his career with the Steelers in 2019 before moving to Tennessee last year. He took over as the Titans starting quarterback after Will Levis was benched and went just 1-4 as the starter, completing 64.0 percent of his passes for 1,530 yards and nine touchdowns with nine interceptions.

This wouldn't be a popular pick. It likely wouldn't move the needle for Pittsburgh. But in a draft with only two NFL-ready quarterbacks and a number of prospects, Rudolph could be a stopgap for the team until a younger player is ready to take over.

Even if he's not brought in to start for the Steelers, Rudolph could easily find his way back to the Steel City as the backup quarterback for whoever the team brings in as the starter.