Steelers owner Art Rooney II wants his team to retain one of its top two quarterbacks from last season, but that doesn’t mean Pittsburgh won’t explore other opportunities behind center this offseason.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer on Sunday reported the Steelers “have interest” in Sam Darnold, arguably the best signal-caller available this NFL offseason. Darnold is coming off an outstanding Pro Bowl season in Minnesota, but the Vikings elected not to give him the franchise tag as they usher in the J.J. McCarthy era.
Pittsburgh absolutely should explore the possibility of signing Darnold, but the storied franchise will face competition to acquire his services. The New York Giants are expected to be in the mix, per Breer, who believes the Seahawks are the favorites to land the 2018 first-round pick. Seattle, coming off a 10-7 season, suddenly needs a new starting quarterback after trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Steelers could be in serious trouble if they miss out on Darnold, too. Justin Fields is expected to generate a fair share of interest on the open market, and Pittsburgh probably shouldn’t hitch its wagon to Russell Wilson after how poorly he played in the second half of last season.
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