Mar 14, 2025 4 min read

The waiting game continues for the Steelers quarterback.

It’s not fun, but it’s a game of musical chairs right now, and the Steelers are one of a handful of seats still open.

As things currently stand, the Steelers, Giants, Titans and Browns are the obvious landing spots for a quarterback.

And the starting-caliber quarterbacks circling the chairs include Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson – with Kirk Cousins waiting in the wings – and rookies Cam Ward and Shedur Sanders, though Sanders is well behind those other guys, at least in my eyes.

Rodgers is the lynchpin that will cause the rest of the chairs to be filled.

He won’t be going back to the Jets, who just released him.

The Steelers, Giants and potentially the Vikings, who might be looking for insurance for J.J. McCarthy, are his current suitors.

That leaves Wilson and Cousins, who has yet to be released by the Falcons because they’re hoping to trade him, waiting in the wings.

It begs the question, is Rodgers worth waiting for?

The answer for the Steelers just might be no.

The 41-year-old is more talented than Wilson. He’s one of the most talented quarterbacks to have ever played in the NFL.

But he’s also going to be a bridge quarterback. So will Wilson, but at least he won’t need to learn the offense.

And with the addition of wide receiver DK Metcalf last week via trade with the Seahawks, Wilson’s familiarity with Metcalf, his former teammate in Seattle, is a bonus factor.

Wilson’s deep passing prowess also matches better with the skill sets of Metcalf and George Pickens, two downfield receivers.

Playing the waiting game for Rodgers, if you think he’s a clear upgrade, is fine. But it also means the Steelers could get shut out. They won’t be in a spot to draft Ward or Sanders.

So, unless they’re willing to settle for Cousins, giving Rodgers a deadline might be the most prudent move.

It’s just not feasible to drag this out for weeks, let alone days.

• No matter who the quarterback winds up being, having Metcalf and Pickens on the field together should open things up for the Steelers’ running game.

There shouldn’t be a safety within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage with those two playmakers out there.

Pickens will benefit by seeing fewer double teams. And tight end Pat Freiermuth will benefit, as well, seeing more linebackers in coverage.

• After releasing Larry Ogunjobi earlier this week and having not added any defensive line help, the odds that the Steelers’ first-round draft pick is a defensive lineman have gone up considerably.

In this year’s draft, which is loaded with defensive lineman, taking two – a nose tackle and an end – would make a lot of sense.

Keenu Benton has played nose tackle in his first two seasons, but might be better suited to play end. As things currently stand, that’s likely where he’s going to play.

• The world lost another of the great ones last week with the death of Craig Wolfley, longtime Steelers player and broadcaster.

“Wolf” was a big personality, always smiling and always filling up whatever room he walked into with his own brand of craziness. But it was always genuine. And that was something that showed up in his broadcasting.

Beyond that, he was an even better human being.

For many years, he and his running mate, the late Tunch Ilkin, along with Jon Kolb, traveled to Washington & Jefferson and then California University to work with the offensive linemen.

“They would come down and work in the mornings with the linemen,” Luckhardt recalled this week. “And they would do it at no charge. Just good, good men.”

Later, Wolfley served as a sideline reporter for California University football games. The late Stan Savan was in the broadcast booth.

Now, Tunch, Wolf and Savran are all gone.

Of that threesome, there at least was time for goodbyes.

Tunch lost a lengthy battle with ALS during the pandemic. His final trip to Steelers practice was something that brought everyone there to tears as he hugged us all and said his goodbyes.

Savran’s battle with lung cancer also was a lengthy one. But he worked right up until the end, showing himself to be a pillar of strength and bravery.

Wolf’s illness was a short one. The call early Monday morning was like being kicked in the teeth.

All three were true gentlemen and leave behind some great memories.

• Happy birthday to Luckhardt, who turned 80 last Wednesday.

Dale Lolley hosts The Drive daily on Steelers Nation Radio and writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter.