There have been fewer unanswerable topics to be had in the NFL this offseason outside of what the Pittsburgh Steelers plan to do at quarterback. They let Justin Fields and Russell Wilson walk to the two New York teams based in New Jersey. While they did bring back a familiar face in Mason Rudolph, he is only a stop-gap at best and probably just a backup. Does that mean Aaron Rodgers is coming?
While Pittsburgh remains the team to beat to win the so-called Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes, I am getting the sense that the Steelers' brass is starting to fall in love with Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart. All signs point to Dart being the third of three quarterbacks to go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft behind only Cam Ward out of Miami and Shedeur Sanders coming out of Colorado.
So what are the chances Dart falls to the Steelers picking at No. 21? I would say fairly likely. However, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network outlined the four teams who have shown the most interest in Dart. That would be Pittsburgh, the Cleveland Browns, the New York Giants and the New Orleans Saints. Cleveland, New York and New Orleans all pick ahead of Pittsburgh in the draft.
However, only the Saints picking at No. 9 should be seen as the real threat to the Steelers' chances.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: #OleMiss QB Jaxson Dart, who visited the #Steelers today, has spent the most time with the #Saints, #Giants, #Browns, and Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/jPrG6xljvg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 5, 2025
This is because it would be a gross reach for Dart by Cleveland picking at No. 2 and New York at No. 3.
New Orleans Saints may prevent Pittsburgh Steelers landing Jaxson Dart
When looking at how the quarterback draft board could shake out in the first round, it is getting harder and harder to visualize Ward going anywhere other than the Tennessee Titans picking at No. 1. While the Browns and Giants may want him, the odds are not in their favor for Ward to even fall to them. That is why I would be utterly shocked if the Giants did not stop his fall and he went to them.
As for Sanders, I doubt the Titans are going to take him, but I am not ruling out Cleveland or New York taking him inside the top three. After that, we could see Sanders fall to the New York Jets at No. 7 or the Saints at No. 9. While Pittsburgh may be interested in him, Sanders is worthy of trading up for, so I have a very hard time seeing him fall outside the top 12 in an absolute worst-case scenario for him.
And when it comes to Dart, the absolute earliest I could see him being drafted is to the Jets at No. 7. Keep in mind, this is a franchise that took Zach Wilson at No. 2 only four years ago... Regardless, the Saints feel like the first serious team in play for Dart. There could be a surprise team emerging among the 12 picking in between the Saints and Steelers. We may also see a team trade up for either player.
Ultimately, it serves the Steelers to be aggressive in trying to land either Dart or possibly Sanders in this draft. Rodgers could help the team sustain for the next year or so if he signs with Pittsburgh, but he is only a year-to-year player at this stage of his career. This is why I would be shocked if Pittsburgh entered the middle part of May without a solution under center. They can also trade for Kirk Cousins.
Pittsburgh's starting quarterback next year will either be Dart, Sanders, Rodgers, Rudolph or Cousins.