It sounds like the Steelers could go through another QB room overhaul

The Pittsburgh Steelers will visit the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the NFL Playoffs. It's a major stress test for the 10-7 Steelers, who dropped four straight games to end the regular season. Mike Tomlin's teams almost always reach the postseason, but winning on that stage is another ballgame entirely.

One can draw up a number of excuses for Pittsburgh's late slide, from injuries to an unfavorable schedule, but momentum is lost all the same. The Steelers are reeling, and now face an exceedingly challenging opponent under do-or-die circumstances.

There is a certain intimacy to this matchup, as Baltimore and Pittsburgh split their two regular-season bouts. The Steelers know the Ravens as well as any NFL team, and vice versa. Who that benefits the most is unclear, but it was Baltimore who dominated, 34-17, when these teams last met a few days before Christmas. As such, one can't help but think the Ravens have the upper hand.

A blowout loss this Saturday could have a profound impact on how the Steelers proceed. It's one thing if the Ravens eke out a victory in the final seconds, but a commanding Baltimore win — and a fifth straight Pittsburgh loss — might cause Omar Khan and the front office to reevaluate. That reevaluation may even extend to the QB room, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport speculates.

Steelers might look into QB change if Russell Wilson struggles against Ravens

Rapoport admits that, a month ago, he felt like Pittsburgh's 2025 quarterback was already on the roster — and that it was Russell Wilson. After four straight losses, however, the tides are turning in the Steel City. Wilson completed 61.8 percent of his passes during the recent losing streak, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt. He registered four touchdowns and four turnovers (two INTs, two lost fumbles).

The Steelers finished the season 6-5 in games Wilson started. After an explosive flurry out of the gate, it all fell apart. That is where the Justin Fields of it all comes into play: Pittsburgh was 4-2 with Fields under center before Russ took over the offense. It's not like Fields was perfect, but he won over coaches and teammates in record time. He probably would've finished the season as a starter on most teams, but Mike Tomlin was clearly preferential to Wilson.

That could change with a devastating loss in the Wild Card round. Fields, like Wilson, is a free agent at season's end. There's a good chance he costs less to bring back and he offers more long-term upside at just 25 years old. Russ is more than a decade older and, clearly, he is far from flawless at the commands. What Fields lacks in dynamic arm talent, he makes up for with incredible quickness and a knack for improvisation.

Should the Steelers decide that neither Russ nor Fields are the long-term answer, several intriguing options will pepper the free agent market. Sam Darnold? Kirk Cousins? Aaron Rodgers? All could appeal, on some level, to Tomlin's competitive nature and veteran inclinations. The Steelers can also peruse the NFL Draft for sleeper prospects, such as Jaxson Dart or Carson Beck.

There's still a good chance Russ is back next season, but it feels far less certain now than it did a few weeks ago.