3 dream QBs Steelers can win a Super Bowl with soon thanks to Brandon Aiyuk

The Pittsburgh Steelers are not a Super Bowl team as currently assembled. They likely would not become a Super Bowl team if they acquired Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.

Thankfully, the Aiyuk trade saga is finally coming to a close, as the 49ers wide receiver seems likely to agree to a new deal with his current team. Aiyuk was interested in a trade to Pittsburgh as long as it came with a subsequent extension. Well, Omar Khan and the Steelers offered Aiyuk a deal under $28 million AAV, thus putting an end to those conversations.

"The Steelers’ price point was less than $28 million, which put Pittsburgh right in the neighborhood the Niners were inhabiting—with Mike Tomlin’s presence there the drawing card...That, in turn, pushed Aiyuk back to the table with the Niners," Albert Breer wrote in his Monday column.

Aiyuk is about winning, not just money. He's also seeking the largest payday of his career, however, so you'll have to forgive him for this extended soap opera just weeks away from the regular season. The Steelers also complicated matters by offering Aiyuk a similar contract as San Francisco's, with the hope that the allure of Tomlin and Pittsburgh would force his hand. They also refused to include a player in trade talks for Aiyuk, must to the dismay of John Lynch.

If Pittsburgh isn't dealing for Aiyuk, perhaps they can direct their attention elsewhere. Why not starting quarterback?

Steelers don't have a QB of the future, but they can draft one

The Steelers are unlikely to land a top-5 selection next season, even with their instability at the quarterback position. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields leave a lot to be desired. Wilson is a shell of himself, far from the Super Bowl-winning signal-caller of yesteryear.

Wilson takes too many sacks, and the vast majority of his yards come on checkdowns. He is predictable, doesn't turn the ball over, and thus should be a favorite of a defense-first head coach in Tomlin. Fields, meanwhile, is the opposite. While an exciting player on the move, he escapes the pocket too quickly, misses easy reads downfield and puts the football in harm's way.

The best route forward, barring a surprising development from Fields, could be selecting a QB in the 2025 NFL Draft. This class is lacking at the quarterback position as compared to 2024, but a player like Carson Beck is still expected to go in the top-5. Here is what CBS Sports has to say about Beck's potential.

"Beck is the cleanest returning quarterback in college football. He's a savvy and quick decision-maker with enough zip to challenge any level of the field. While he thrives as a pocket passer, Beck has enough athleticism to keep defenses honest. If he gets more aggressive as a downfield passer in his second season as a starter, he should be the frontrunner to go No. 1 overall," Mike Renner wrote.

It's that last sentiment -- that Beck could go first overall -- that makes him a dream QB for Pittsburgh. The Steelers would have to mortgage the future, and Khan seems unlikely to do so.

Steelers could trade for a veteran QB on the outs

The Atlanta Falcons are -- by most accounts -- the most unpredictable organization in the NFL. Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins to a massive contract this offseason only to select Michael Penix Jr. in the NFL Draft.

Cousins was taken aback, and while he's been all smiles publicly about his place on the Falcons depth chart, you just know this has to be eating at him, especially coming off a season-ending injury. Penix Jr. looked productive in the preseason, so much so that the Falcons sat him for the second game as if he were their starter.

The Falcons have excessive amounts of cringe coming from their locker room. Cousins is the guy for now, don't get me wrong. He will start come Week 1 against Pittsburgh and probably play well this year. But unless he leads the Falcons on a memorable playoff run, he should be looking over his shoulder. No franchise selects a quarterback in the top-10 -- let alone a guy some pundits thought was the most pro-ready passer in this class -- if the franchise doesn't intend to play that player soon.

If Atlanta goes that route, Cousins would be on the chopping block as soon as next season. His contract could make him affordable via trade, and the Steelers would be wise to pounce.

Do I think Cousins is a Super Bowl-caliber QB at this point in his career? Well, not necessarily. But Pittsburgh is loaded at the positions that count, and they should be able to correct their WR2 problem in the next calendar year, one would hope.

Steelers could sign the best quarterback in free agency

By all accounts, the Dallas Cowboys will eventually sign quarterback Dak Prescott to what is likely to be a record contract extension, thus keeping him from becoming a free agent. However, should Jerry Jones, well, pull a Jerry Jones, the Steelers would be first in line to sign Prescott next offseason.

There's good reason to sign Prescott, after all. He's not a top-5 quarterback in the NFL, sure, but he's top-10. He's led the Cowboys to the playoffs before, where matters were taken out of his hands. It's tough to blame Dak for all of the Cowboys postseason disasters, and on a different franchise with a better culture (and less pressure, mind you), he might thrive when it matters most.

At least, that is the pitch to sign Dak. Quarterback is the most important position in football and Prescott will be paid as such. All of the $28 million AAV the Steelers offered for Aiyuk would go to Dak and then some.

I personally would not go this route, as Prescott on the free-agent market would shatter previous records for QB contracts. He's such a good player at an important position, but he's not necessarily going to put the Steelers over the top on his own. Prescott would also limit future spending at other positions of need that Pittsburgh cannot ignore forever.

Still, he'd be entertaining, and would make the Steelers better long term. There's a reason Prescott makes the cut.