The Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Tomlin are searching for their starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Russell Wilson was not the solution they had hoped for, which opens up a wide range of possibilities for the future.
Justin Fields is only 25 years old, and although he will become a free agent, he could be a relatively inexpensive option to finally test whether he can be the franchise leader, especially with the 2025 draft not being very deep at that position.
The other path is to look for a veteran, perhaps with Super Bowl experience, to put the Steelers back in win-now mode due to the lack of young prospects. That route may have become easier for Pittsburgh.
Is Aaron Rodgers a free agent in 2025?
Aaron Rodgers will be free to sign with any team after the Jets officially confirmed that they have decided to go in a different direction with new head coach Aaron Glenn’s project.
This means that, just like with Russell Wilson after leaving Denver in 2024, the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t need a trade or draft picks to acquire Rodgers if Mike Tomlin wants him as his starting quarterback.
The interesting part of the situation is when the Jets will release Rodgers, as that could impact the Steelers’ decision. If New York does it immediately, the salary cap hit will be $49 million of dead money for next season. If the Jets wait until after June 6, perhaps the most logical move, the dead money would be distributed with $14 million in 2025 and $35 million in 2026.