Tim Benz: Super Bowl weekend of quarterback news may refocus offseason Steelers speculation

If the Pittsburgh Steelers are to take part in the 2022 offseason quarterback carousel, there needs to be a few ponies on the ride when it starts spinning.

And some big-name horses may have been removed before the calliope music even begins to play.

Based on reports over the weekend, Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr could stay with their current organizations, despite extended speculation during the previous season that both may be leaving for other teams.

Both quarterbacks have been mentioned as potential targets for the Steelers this offseason as they look to replace the retired Ben Roethlisberger.

However, according to an NFL.com post from Ian Rapoport on Sunday, he spent a week “talking with those in the know on Rodgers’ looming decision” and he came to the conclusion that “two facts are clear”:

• “The relationship is in as good a spot as it has been in quite a long time, leading to optimism and hope from many involved that he will choose to return.”

• “No one knows for sure what Rodgers will do, except Rodgers, and no one will rush him to do it.”

“I’ve had good conversations with Green Bay,” Rodgers said after claiming the 2021 NFL MVP Award. “And I’ll do some contemplating and make a decision here pretty quick.”

As for Carr, Rapoport had a separate post on Sunday that stated, “Sources say the Raiders are moving forward with Carr at QB and are prepared to discuss a contract extension that would keep him in Las Vegas for the foreseeable future. Carr has one year left on his contract, making nearly $20 million.”

Carr made sense for the Steelers because of his relative age (30), contract status and the fact that the Raiders have just recently changed their head coach and general manager. Given all that, it appeared the Steelers may have been able to trade for a former Pro Bowl quarterback who wouldn’t demand a boatload of draft compensation in return since he is on an expiring contract. Not to mention a cap hit, which would’ve been less than what they absorbed for Ben Roethlisberger last year, for a guy who finished fifth in the NFL in passing yards. Carr’s ability to throw on the move — in and out of the pocket — and run boot-action may have been a good fit for Matt Canada’s offense.

As for Rodgers, he made sense because, well, he’s the MVP. For a fourth time. Meanwhile, the Steelers’ Hall of Fame quarterback is retiring. So it would’ve been worth at least an inquiry to the Packers to see what Rodgers would’ve cost in return and to Rodgers’ agent to see what kind of contract could’ve been worked out to entice him to Pittsburgh for the last few years of his career.

If those two end up staying put, I don’t see any other established veteran starter making sense as a target for the Steelers.

Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson has been mentioned in connection with Pittsburgh. But per The Athletic’s Mike Sando, Wilson prefers a bigger market. Plus Wilson is coming off of a finger injury last year that resulted in him posting four-year lows in passer rating (103.1), adjusted QBR (54.7), touchdowns (25), yards (3,113) and completion percentage (64.8%).

Then there is what Wilson would cost an acquiring team. Wilson’s cap hit for the 2022 season in Seattle is currently $37 million. He has a $19 million base salary with a $13 million signing bonus and a $5 million roster bonus. And Wilson, who has a no-trade clause, is also claiming he is thinking only about staying with the Seahawks.

With 2021 rookie first-round choice Trey Lance looming over his shoulder, San Francisco 49ers starter Jimmy Garoppolo has been floated as a potential acquisition for the Steelers. Garoppolo has had injury issues and has a current cap hit of $26.9 million with $24.2 million in salary.

Garoppolo may be a nice fit in Canada’s scheme. Although, if I may steal one of Mike Tomlin’s favorite phrases, I think he has a “high floor.” But I don’t think the ceiling is high enough. As for Wilson, he just doesn’t seem attainable at this point, not to mention that he’s not exactly coming off the same kind of season Rodgers was.

So for those dubious of the Steelers’ chances to succeed (author pauses to raise hand) with just Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins as candidates to be the team’s starter in 2022, the franchise is left with two other options:

• Draft a starter-worthy quarterback in April.

• Sign a free-agent candidate, such as Mitchell Trubisky, Marcus Mariota, Jacoby Brissett or even Jameis Winston.

That second idea leaves me numb. It just feels like throwing numbers at the problem in the hopes of finishing in the middle of the conference again. To me, that’s useless. Try to find the next franchise guy, or flame out trying and get in a better draft position in 2022.

That’s very different from saying “tank,” by the way. “Tank” would be trying to lose. You can at least validate going forward with just Rudolph and Haskins if every available dime of free-agent dollars is spent addressing the many other positions of need on the team, instead of wasting them on a third mediocre quarterback candidate.

In terms of the draft, I’m not wild about any of the top-6 prospective candidates that got so much attention at the Senior Bowl or Mississippi junior Matt Corral. But if the Steelers feel great about any of them, I’d get it. They haven’t drafted a quarterback in the first round since Roethlisberger in 2003. If they don’t want to pass on a rare chance when they may get one of the top two or three on the board, that’s understandable.

What wasn’t understandable to me was how few Steelers fans were interested in Rodgers or Carr. That appears to be a moot point now, though.

Let’s see how interested Pittsburgh fans are by December, though, if the Steelers are still trying to slog through 2022 with Rudolph or Haskins at the helm.