Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan made it clear to the media that the team's first priority is to figure out who is going to be their starting quarterback in 2025. Khan spoke to reporters while attending the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine and said the quarterback decision even drives their work on finding more wide receivers. Like Art Rooney II, Khan indicated their preference is to have either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields return, but he understands they are free agents, and that might not be possible.
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Quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson sit on the bench during a regular season game for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He was clear that the team plans to explore all options, including not shutting the door on someone like Matthew Stafford from the Los Angeles Rams. Stafford and his agent were recently granted permission from the team to explore possible trade options. At 37, Stafford hopes to get one last large contract before he retires. He engaged in a heavy renegotiation with the Rams before the start of the 2024 season. The Rams moved $5 million of his contract from 2025 to 2024 to keep the former Super Bowl-winner happy. That drops 2025 to about $27 million, which he seems to feel is less than he deserves. If the Rams do trade him, they take a huge, nearly $50 million cap hit.
Gerry Dulac from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently told readers in his chat column that he sees Stafford as a more realistic option or a "different case" than someone like Sam Darnold. When asked by a reader if Stafford is worth that huge price tag along with significant draft capital, Dulac said he doesn't see that as realistic for either side.
"Nope," said Dulac about bringing Stafford in for $50 million. "Not at that price. And what makes you think it will be at that price. Lucky if it even gets to $40."
Rumors have swirled that Stafford's relationship with the Rams has begun to deteriorate since he made his demands last season. In addition, his wife reportedly didn't help his cause, calling the team's owner and making a case to get her husband paid like one of the top quarterbacks in the league. She also shared some negativity about the Rams locker room on her podcast, which caused even more friction.
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Rams' Matthew Stafford walks off the field with his wife, Kelly Stafford, after a win.
Stafford got the Rams to the Divisional Round of the 2024 playoffs, two years after helping them win a Super Bowl. However, not everyone agrees that he should get Dak Prescott-level money, although many would argue that Prescott isn't worth $60 million a year. Some insiders think he has a shot at getting into the $50 million club, but most agree that is outside of what the Steelers would be willing to do.
The Steelers Could Get A Double Bonus
One of the best parts of bringing someone like Stafford in is that it could help lure top free agents. The Steelers desperately need a solid wide receiver, and one of Stafford's favorite targets, Cooper Kupp, could be tempted to come with his quarterback.
Kupp is someone Pittsburgh reportedly had their eye on in 2024, but was never able to work out a deal. The Rams are trending younger, and Kupp himself announced that the team was planning to trade him. Like Stafford, he has positives and negatives. At 32, Kupp has dealt with injuries throughout his career. In the eight seasons he has played, only two have been in their entirety. The upside is that he racked up more than 1,000 yards each in those two seasons.
However, the Steelers need reliability and consistency. They are already dealing with George Pickens. His situation is different; it isn't injury-based, but rather a situation of his effort. He has been known to take plays off and refuse to block, which has hurt his team. They can't afford to have someone else part-time.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp looks on during an away game.
