Ryan Tannehill

Bengals Contacted Several Teams On QBs; Cincinnati Considered Derek Carr

October 12th, 2025 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals went from throwing support behind Jake Browning to frantically seeking an outside upgrade. Joe Flacco became that option, being sent across Ohio early this week in a Day 3 pick-swap exchange.

Prior to landing on Flacco — a development that surprised the Browns — the Bengals looked into many reserve QBs around the league and one who recently wrapped his NFL career. In addition to calling the Eagles on Sam Howell and the Seahawks on Drew Lock, the Bengals contacted the Texans on Davis Mills, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

A long-hesitant franchise regarding the acquisition of players via in-season trades, the Bengals also made a call on Derek Carr. Rapoport indicates the recently retired passer became part of Cincinnati’s search. Had this progressed, the team would have needed to make a deal with the Saints for Carr’s rights. Like they did with Sean Payton when he stepped away in 2022, the Saints hold Carr’s rights after his mid-offseason retirement.

Carr did not enter the offseason assured of retaining his starting job. Kellen Moore took over in New Orleans, leading to rumors about a QB change — even in the event Carr kept playing. Two years remained on his Saints contract. Carr was not open to a pay cut on the four-year, $150MM deal and remained in the Saints’ plans for several weeks between Moore’s arrival and the post-draft retirement decision. As of September, Carr has not slammed the door on returning. But with the Saints needing compensation, that introduced a wrinkle they may have kept the 11-year veteran in retirement.

This certainly would have presented an interesting opportunity for Carr, as the Bengals paid up to retain their high-end Ja’Marr Chase–Tee Higgins duo this offseason. Carr struggled to stay healthy in New Orleans, running into a few injuries. Most notably, a shoulder malady sustained in 2023 plagued him and ultimately led the ex-Raider to retirement. Should health circumstances improve, that could conceivably change the equation. Carr did gauge the trade market this offseason. But Carr is 34, limiting his window. During the summer, a report also indicated the former playoff starter is not likely to return to the league.

The Bengals made calls to teams with three quarterbacks and those with viable practice squad options, Rapoport adds. Mills obviously remains in the Texans‘ plans, having signed a one-year extension that moves his contract through 2026 in September. The Texans also rebuffed trade inquiries on Mills in 2023, keeping he and Case Keenum behind C.J. Stroud that season. A 2021 third-round pick, Mills has played his entire career in Houston. The team replaced him as their primary starter via the Stroud selection but still values him in the QB2 post.

Cincinnati did not inquire about Giants veterans, Kirk Cousins or Ryan Tannehill. In not making Tannehill part of their QB search, the Bengals wanted a player who had been active recently, Rapoport adds. Tannehill has not played since the 2023 season, when the Titans benched him for second-round rookie Will Levis. Tannehill had been connected to the Vikings early this offseason and later came up for the Raiders following Aidan O’Connell‘s injury, but the 37-year-old passer remains out of football.

Flacco, 40, will make a start despite being acquired Tuesday afternoon. The Bengals sent Flacco cutups on his flight from Cleveland, per Rapoport, as he was getting up to speed in Zac Taylor‘s offense by Tuesday night. With the Browns giving Flacco two weeks to prepare before his first start with the team in 2023, today’s shorter-notice Packers matchup presents a daunting assignment. For the foreseeable future, however, the Bengals will have Flacco at the controls.

Pete Carroll: Raiders Exploring QB Addition

August 24th, 2025 at 10:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

As a result of Aidan O’Connell‘s wrist fracture, the Raiders will be shorthanded at the quarterback position to begin the season. Acquiring depth represents a priority over the coming days.

“All possibilities are available right now,” head coach Pete Carroll said on Sunday when asked about the team’s QB plans (via ESPN’s Ryan McFadden). ” I mean, wherever they come from, and we’re looking everywhere to see [if] we find the best guy that fits us.”

With teams beginning the process of reaching 53 on their respective rosters, plenty of players have become available recently. That includes a few quarterbacks. Earlier today, the Vikings released Brett Rypien as part of their shake-ups at the position. Since then, the Browns have made the expected move of cutting Tyler Huntley. Both veterans will immediately reach free agency (without needing to clear waivers first).

The Raiders have Geno Smith atop the depth chart for 2025, and undrafted rookie Cam Miller is in the fold as a depth option. Fellow UDFA Tommy Mellott played quarterback in college, but as expected he has worked as a receiver upon entering the NFL. For at least as long as O’Connell is unavailable, the team could benefit from having a veteran presence behind Smith.

Indeed, Carroll noted experience is a factor which will play an important role in the team’s search process. For that reason, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal names Ryan Tannehill as a potential target. Tannehill did not play last year, but with 151 starts to his name the 37-year-old would certainly qualify as a veteran QB2 option.

With nearly $35MM in cap space, the Raiders will not have a problem affording any short-term addition which winds up being made in time for Week 1. Free agency (amongst the signal-callers already cut) and/or trades represent avenues for a new passer to be brought in. The waiver wire will also be busy over the coming days, and Vegas could elect to take that route instead.

Vikings Have Discussed Deal With QB Ryan Tannehill

March 21st, 2025 at 11:35pm CST by Ely Allen

Ryan Tannehill did not play in the NFL last year, but he could be nearing a return for the 2025 season. The Vikings have reportedly reached out to Tannehill to discuss a potential deal, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, though no signing is imminent at this time.

Minnesota needs some experience at quarterback after Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones signed with other teams. Though the Vikings should receive compensatory picks in 2026 as a result of those departures, they now only have two quarterbacks under contract for the 2025 season: J.J. McCarthy and Brett Rypien. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus, and Rypien has started just four games in his four-year career.

The Vikings explored signing Aaron Rodgers but ultimately opted not to submit an offer to the mercurial 41-year-old. The team’s quarterback situation has recently seen Minnesota affirming McCarthy as the heir apparent for the job moving forward. The 10th overall pick last year was not seen as a first-round option for much of the 2023 season, but his national championship-winning season with the Wolverines, combined with quite a few desperate teams looking for rookie passers, resulted in McCarthy hearing his name on Day 1.

While it was initially thought that McCarthy would need to sit and learn for a year, a lack of serious candidates for competition led McCarthy into a battle with Darnold to replace Kirk Cousins as the starter in Minnesota, a battle that Darnold was gifted following McCarthy’s surgery. Now, with Darnold having moved on and McCarthy having sat for the year, it’s presumed that McCarthy should now be ready to take hold of the starting role.

With Rodgers out of the picture, Tannehill enters as a new option to pair with McCarthy. The 36-year-old is a less accomplished passer than Rodgers, but he’s also five years younger with significantly less off-field baggage. He also fits better as a potential backup and mentor to McCarthy, the likely future of the position in Minnesota.

Tannehill is one of several veteran backup options who were available in free agency like Joe Flacco and Jameis Winston. Flacco, who was also an option the Vikings looked at, is also in play for Pittsburgh and Cleveland, while Winston recently signed a two-year deal with the Giants.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.

Latest On QB Ryan Tannehill

September 17th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of Jordan Love‘s injury, a report indicated the Packers reached out to free agent quarterback Ryan Tannehill. No negotiations took place with the veteran, who remains unsigned through the first two weeks of the regular season.

Tannehill was injured midway through the 2023 season, opening the door to Will Levis replacing him as Tennessee’s starter. Levis was drafted as the team’s next franchise passer, so it came as no surprise Tannehill was not re-signed. Interest emerged during the offseason, but the 36-year-old opted to remain patient while weighing his options. That is still the case as things currently stand.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Tannehill remains “very selective” with respect to an NFL return in 2024. The chance to serve as a team’s starter for the remainder of the campaign, in addition to joining a playoff contender, is a top priority for the former first-rounder. That report echoes one from earlier this month which confirmed nothing was imminent on the Tannehill front. Love’s MCL sprain is not expected to require a long-term absence, and the Packers won their Week 2 matchup with Malik Willis under center.

The most recent injury suffered by a starting quarterback, of course, is Tua Tagovailoa‘s concussion. That has him out of the picture for the time being, although a recovery timetable is not in place. Miami will turn to Skylar Thompson in his absence, and the team added Tyler Huntley as a new backup option on Monday. A return to South Beach in Tannehill’s case is therefore highly unlikely.

The Texas A&M product spent his first six NFL seasons with the Dolphins before a five-year stint in Tennessee. Tannehill earned Comeback Player of the Year honors in addition to a Pro Bowl nod during his first Titans campaign (2019). He helped guide the team to three playoff appearances during his time there, but injuries were a factor in each of his final two seasons with Tennessee, a team which moved on from head coach Mike Vrabel in the offseason to add a new voice – Brian Callahan – suited to develop Levis.

Another major QB injury may be needed for Tannehill to generate serious interest in joining a new team. In the meantime, he will remain one of the top free agents on the market at any position as the season progresses.

Packers Will Not Place Jordan Love On IR; Team Has Not Contacted Free Agent QBs

September 9th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers are set to rely on Malik Willis in the event Jordan Love misses time over the coming weeks. That remains a distinct possibility in the latter’s case, but he will not be placed on injured reserve.

Love is dealing with an MCL sprain, and he is facing a recovery timeline of three to six weeks. Placing him on IR would guarantee an absence of at least four weeks, but head coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday that route will not be taken. Love is therefore a candidate to return on the short end of that timeframe, and for that reason Green Bay is not interested in adding a signal-caller.

“No. Despite reports,” LaFleur said of the Packers having interest in a free agent quarterback (via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette). “It’s crazy to me how people come up with some of these things. I think you explore every possibility, but at no point in time did we ever have any discussions with anybody.”

A report from Sunday stated the Packers reached out to Ryan Tannehill, the most experienced quarterback currently on the market. It was unclear at the time if Green Bay represented a destination Tannehill was interested in as he weighs his options, but LaFleur’s comments confirm no contract talks took place anyway. With Love set to only miss a brief period, the team will rely on Willis and Sean Clifford under center.

Green Bay had Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt in place during the summer as they competed for the backup gig. Neither passer impressed, and they were both waived during roster cutdowns. Clifford cleared waivers and was retained on the practice squad whereas Pratt departed and joined the Buccaneers’ taxi squad.

Willis was acquired via trade shortly before the roster cut deadline, giving him a short window of time to learn the Packers’ offense. The former Titans draftee did not anticipate being dealt despite the fact free agent signing Mason Rudolph outperformed him during training camp and the preseason. Willis, 25, made three starts as a rookie but he made only three appearances last season as Tennessee transitioned from Tannehill to Will Levis. The Packers will offer him a new opportunity on a short-term basis until Love is back to full health.

Malik Willis To Start For Packers; Team Has Reached Out To Ryan Tannehill

September 8th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Rory Parks

Packers quarterback Jordan Love will be sidelined for three to six weeks as a result of the MCL sprain he suffered in the club’s Week 1 loss to the Eagles. Recent trade acquisition Malik Willis will step into the starting lineup for Green Bay’s home opener against the Colts next week, per Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer (via Aaron Nagler of CheeseheadTV).

However, the team has reached out to veteran passer Ryan Tannehill, as Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Tannehill is the most accomplished quarterback still on the market after his Titans tenure came to an end this spring. The 36-year-old has received interest from teams this offseason, but he appeared content to wait out the start of the year and examine the opportunities which presented themselves. Week 1 has certainly done so in the form of the Love injury.

Earlier today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provided an update on Tannehill’s status. The Texas A&M alum has stayed in shape while awaiting a potential offer, but he intends to return to action only under the “perfect” circumstances. A playoff contender featuring a strong offensive line and skill-position pieces would be Tannehill’s target, Rapoport notes, while adding finances would play a part as well. With just over $195MM in career earnings, Tannehill can afford to be selective when considering his suitors.

As a team which went to the divisional round of the postseason last year in large part on the strength of its young offense, though, the Packers represent a logical landing spot for Tannehill. Each of Green Bay’s top pass-catchers from last year remain in place, and free agent pickup Josh Jacobs is positioned to handle a heavy workload in the backfield. The team entered Sunday with roughly $14.6MM in cap space, providing the flexibility for a short-term addition under center.

For now, at least, it will be Willis at the helm. The former Titans third-rounder lost out to Mason Rudolph this offseason for the team’s backup gig, prompting his trade to the Packers. Willis was caught off guard by the move, one which came after Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt struggled to earn the QB2 spot. Both young passers were cut, with Clifford being retained via a practice squad deal and Pratt leaving the organization. Clifford represents an option more familiar with Matt LaFleur‘s scheme, but to little surprise Willis get the nod for at least one start.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

QB Ryan Tannehill Received Interest, Not Actively Seeking Deal

July 28th, 2024 at 1:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ryan Tannehill is one of the free agents who did not manage to find a new home at the start of training camp. When speaking about his situation, the veteran quarterback confirmed interest was shown earlier this offseason, but nothing is currently imminent.

“Nothing really felt right through free agency and through that, I had a lot of peace with it,” Tannehill said on The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast (audio link). “Nothing outstanding jumped up, so I just said, ‘Hey, I’ll take a step back, and if something comes up on down the road.'”

The 36-year-old was a consideration for the Steelers once they hired Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator. Pittsburgh ultimately committed to Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, though, and Tannehill has not been connected to any suitors since then. While he is open to landing on a new team, he is not urgently seeking out a landing spot for the 2024 campaign.

“Whether that’s training camp, maybe a guy goes down on a team and [the team] gives me a call, you never know what’s going to happen,” Tannehill added. “But at the same time, [I’m] not waiting on pins and needles for that call, right? I’m enjoying where I’m at, enjoying where my feet are at, where my family life is. If something comes up, then fantastic, I’ll jump wholeheartedly into it. But at the same time, [I’m] not clearly just waiting on that.”

The former Dolphins first-rounder spent six years in Miami, topping 4,000 yards twice before being slowed by injuries and traded to the Titans. Tannehill’s lone Pro Bowl nod came in 2019, and he enjoyed three campaigns as the team’s starter after that season. As expected, though, second-rounder Will Levis took over starting duties after Tannehill was sidelined midway through last year and remained atop the depth chart after he was healthy.

Tannehill will not be back in Tennessee, a team which signed Mason Rudolph in free agency and still has 2022 third-rounder Malik Willis in the fold. Many other teams around the league are essentially set with respect to the top two spots on their QB depth charts, even if competitions for the starting gig will take place over the coming weeks. As a result, an injury or unforeseen drop-off in performance may be needed for Tannehill suitors to emerge.

It very much remains to be seen what he will end up doing between now and the start of the campaign. Tannehill’s comments demonstrate he is comfortable without a deal in hand as things currently stand, however, so no updates to his situation should be expected for the time being.

Community Tailgate: Where Will Ryan Tannehill Sign?

July 21st, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Rory Parks

Ryan Tannehill is easily the most accomplished quarterback remaining on the free agent market, though only the Steelers have been connected to him in any meaningful way this offseason. After Pittsburgh added Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as part of their QB overhaul, the only other report concerning Tannehill was one indicating the Broncos were not interested in him. The 2019 Pro Bowler has not suggested he has any plans to retire, and as training camps open up around the league, it is worth taking a look at some of his likeliest landing spots.

Tannehill, who will turn 36 in less than a week, revived his career in Tennessee after injuries torpedoed the final three years of his Miami tenure. The Dolphins traded him to the Titans in March 2019, and he took over for a struggling Marcus Mariota in Week 6 of the 2019 campaign. From that point through the end of the 2022 season, Tannehill compiled a 30-13 regular season record and led Tennessee to three consecutive playoff berths.

Unfortunately, that is when injuries once again began to take their toll. Tannehill was limited to 12 games in 2022, and after suffering an ankle sprain in Week 6 of the 2023 season, he lost his starting job to Will Levis. With Tennessee now looking to give Levis a chance to prove he can be the team’s franchise passer, Tannehill is looking for a new employer.

In Tannehill’s case, everything old could be new again, as the Dolphins profile as a logical fit for their former first-round pick. While the ‘Fins obviously have Tua Tagovailoa entrenched as their QB1, the southpaw comes with his own share of health concerns, and his current backups are Mike White and Skylar Thompson, who have nine career regular season starts between them. Tannehill would give an otherwise talented roster a legitimate chance to win in the event Tagovailoa is forced to miss time with injury, and he would be a natural fit in Mike McDaniel’s offense. Plus, he would not need to carry the team on his back; he would merely need to competently deliver the ball to the club’s bevy of skill position talent.

Like the Dolphins, the Chargers might have a playoff-worthy roster with starting quarterback Justin Herbert under center, but all of that talent would be wasted if Herbert is lost for a significant period of time. With all due apologies to Easton Stick and Max Duggan, Tannehill would represent a clear and obvious upgrade to the Bolts’ quarterback room, and the team’s presumptive run-heavy approach under new offensive coordinator Greg Roman would mimic the Derrick Henry-centered attack that allowed Tannehill to thrive in Nashville.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, were in something of a rebuilding/retooling phase at this time last year, and they were content to have Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask go into training camp in a battle for starting QB duties. But now that Mayfield has reestablished himself as a viable QB1 and is coming off a divisional round playoff appearance, Tampa Bay is eyeing another postseason run. Although the Bucs have always spoken highly of Trask since they selected him in the second round of the 2021 draft, they may prefer a more experienced option in the event Mayfield should get hurt or should experience the type of regression that ultimately ended his Cleveland tenure.

The Rams, a surprise entrant in the 2023 playoff field who were narrowly defeated by the Lions in the wildcard round, did sign a veteran passer this offseason to serve as a backup to starter Matthew Stafford. Free agent acquisition Jimmy Garoppolo, however, has an extensive injury history and will miss the first two games of the 2024 season due to a PED suspension. Behind him on the depth chart is Stetson Bennett, a 2023 fourth-rounder who saw no action in his rookie season. While Garoppolo’s presence likely precludes a Tannehill signing for now, that could change if Garoppolo should struggle in camp or if he sustains another injury.

Again, Tannehill has not been formally connected to any of the above-named teams, so it is difficult to guess where he might land. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

This Date In Transactions History: Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins Agree To Extension

May 18th, 2024 at 12:44pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins are currently navigating a quarterback extension, as the front office is working with Tua Tagovailoa on a lucrative second contract. Almost a decade ago, the team found themselves in a very similar situation.

On this date in 2015, the Dolphins signed quarterback Ryan Tannehill to an extension. The six-year, $96MM extension included $45MM guaranteed, and it was intended to cover the last year of the quarterback’s rookie deal, the fifth-year option season, and four additional free agent years.

At the time, it was hard to be overly critical of Miami’s long-term commitment to the former first-round pick. Tannehill topped 3,000 passing yards in each of his first three seasons in the NFL, and he improved on his touchdown totals in each of his campaigns (culminating in a 2014 season where he tossed 27 scores). While the Dolphins had yet to break through with a postseason run, the team’s worst showing through Tannehill’s first three seasons was a 7-9 mark during his rookie campaign.

There was some urgency on the Dolphins’ part to complete a deal. Tannehill was one of four QBs from the 2012 draft class (along with Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson) to be eyeing lucrative extensions, and Miami assured they wouldn’t be boxed into a corner by completing the first deal from that group. Luck ended up getting $140MM from the Colts while Wilson got around $88MM on a four-year deal with the Seahawks (Griffin never got a second contract from Washington). When compared to his draftmates, Tannehill’s average annual value didn’t break the bank.

Of course, the move didn’t come without risk. This was the first major move by Mike Tannenbaum, the Dolphins’ new executive vice president of football operations. It was Tannenbaum’s decision to hand Mark Sanchez a sizable extension in New York that ultimately led to the executive’s ouster. Tannenbaum wasn’t looking to make the same mistake twice.

“We are thrilled that we were able to sign Ryan to an extension,” Tannenbaum said at the time (via the Miami Herald). “He is an ascending talent, a team leader and checks all of the boxes you are looking for at the position.”

While the Dolphins dropped to 6-10 during Tannehill’s first year playing on the extension, the QB continued to validate the organization’s decision. The fourth-year player tossed a career-high 4,045 passing yards that season, making him the fourth QB in NFL history to top 3,000 passing yards in each of his first four seasons. The Dolphins took a step forward during Tannehill’s fifth season at the helm, with the team finally earning a playoff nod. However, after going 8-5 through the first 13 games, Tannehill suffered a season-ending knee injury that knocked him out for the postseason.

That injury ended up greatly altering Tannehill’s ability to finish his contract with Miami. The quarterback opted for rehab over surgery to his injured ACL, allowing him to be on the field for the start of 2017 training camp. However, he suffered another injury during the first day of 11-on-11 drills, and he eventually went under the knife to repair the torn ACL.

That following offseason, the Dolphins faced a major cap crunch. While Tannenbaum could have moved on from Tannehill (via release or trade) without any financial penalty, the executive instead reworked the player’s contract. That move temporarily opened up some breathing room under the cap, but it also kicked some sizable guaranteed money down the road. That decision ended up greatly reducing the organization’s return for the QB a year later.

Tannehill returned in time for the 2018 campaign but was forced to miss a chunk of games due to a shoulder injury. After the Dolphins were forced to rely on their QB2 for three-straight seasons, the team finally decided to cut bait on their franchise signal caller. During the 2019 offseason, the Dolphins traded Tannehill to the Titans for draft compensation. The QB agreed to rip up his contract with Tennessee, locking him into a one-year prove-it deal for the 2019 campaign.

Tannehill bounced back in a big way that season, earning his first career Pro Bowl nod while guiding the Titans to a 7-3 regular season record and a pair of postseason victories. That performance earned him a new contract from the Titans, a four-year, $118MM pact. Tannehill continued to guide a playoff squad in Tennessee for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but he had an inconsistent role in 2022 and 2023 following the additions of Malik Willis and Will Levis. The 35-year-old is currently a free agent.

Nine years after signing the extension, things couldn’t have worked out much better for Tannehill. Of course, that doesn’t mean the quarterback didn’t take a handful of risks. For starters, much of his future guaranteed money was only due if Tannehill played, meaning he could have been cut at any time without any penalty (an advantage that the Dolphins squandered following that aforementioned restructuring). Tannehill also could have played hard ball with the Titans with the hope of getting cut, but he ultimately fave up some significant future money as he looked to rehabilitate his image. That gamble immediately worked out for the QB, as the Titans signed him to his third contract.

While the Dolphins never reached the success they were surely envisioning when they extended Tannehill, the team at least waved the white flag at the right time. Following a bridge season with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, the team quickly found their future answer at QB in Tagovailoa. Of course, that glass-half-full perspective wasn’t enough to save Tannenbaum’s job. The executive was reassigned from his role in 2018, and while it was the Dolphins’ entire body of work that led to his demotion/firing, the Tannehill restructuring in 2018 certainly didn’t help.

As the Dolphins look to sign Tagovailoa to a second contract, the top decision makers will surely proceed with caution after seeing how things unfolded with their last major QB investment.

QB Options Steelers Considered Before Landing Wilson, Fields

April 6th, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

The Steelers’ quarterbacks room underwent a complete overhaul last month, with every quarterback previously on the roster finding their way out of Pittsburgh while every passer currently on the roster was not a Steeler last season. While it looks like Pittsburgh certainly found its way to the best of a bad situation, things could’ve played out much differently, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN.

The bad situation referred to above was the quarterback situation immediately following last season. Former first-round quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett were failing to live up to their draft stock, and their best hope was to ride with the hot-handed Mason Rudolph, an option they had never shown much trust in in the past and one who was bound for free agency.

The overhaul began with the release of Trubisky, who returned to Buffalo to serve as Josh Allen‘s backup. Then, things really hit the fan when Pittsburgh landed the signature of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson, who would presumably slide in as the new starter, despite assurances that he would compete with Pickett for the job. Rudolph, seeing his chances at a starting job disappear, opted not to return signing with the Titans. And, after seeing the writing on the wall, Pickett asked for a trade, which the Steelers honored by sending him to Philadelphia, where he would back up Jalen Hurts. Finally, the Steelers filled out the rest of their room by trading for the former polarizing Bears quarterback Justin Fields and signing veteran backup quarterback Kyle Allen.

They flipped a room that appeared to have a pretty low floor with an unclear ceiling and turned it into a room full of proven experience and future potential without committing too many resources to acquire it. Before they landed on Wilson as their best option moving forward, though, the team looked at a few other options.

After hiring former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh felt comfortable moving forward with Pickett leading a run-heavy, play-action offense. Smith had run a successful version of that style of offense in Tennessee with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. The team even explored reuniting Tannehill and Smith with the veteran quarterback hitting free agency this offseason. They also kicked the tires on new Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins before deciding that he was out of their price range.

They also nearly pulled the trigger on a second backup option before trading for Fields. The Steelers reportedly had a high chance of signing new Browns backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. A division-rival before and after his new contract, the Steelers had seen Huntley in four of his nine career starts with the Ravens and clearly liked what they saw. With Fields in the fold now, Huntley was the odd man out but ended up staying in the AFC North anyway.

Instead of rolling with Tannehill or Cousins and Huntley, the Steelers are well set up to field an offense with Wilson and Fields in 2024. They certainly did their homework on several options but ended up with what may have been the best-case scenario after a rough 2023 season that saw them shuffle through Pickett, Trubisky, and Rudolph.

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