After finishing the regular season with 10 victories and 7 losses, the Pittsburgh Steelers qualified for the postseason. They had an unlikely run in the postseason, but were defeated by the Buffalo Bills in the opening round. After starter Kenny Pickett and backup Mitch Trubisky sustained injuries that kept Mason Rudolph as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, many fans believe the Steelers need to acquire a new quarterback. The franchise is currently being associated with a promising quarterback from the NFC South, whom they may try to sign in free agency if he becomes available.
According to a report done by Pro Football Focus and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, Pittsburgh should pursue Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield if he becomes available to sign during the offseason. Mayfield has Tampa Bay in the divisional round of the postseason going against the Detroit Lions, surpassing all expectations put on the team at the beginning of the season.
While it seems unlikely that the Buccaneers will lose their quarterback, if he were to become up for grabs, the Steelers should be the first team to give him a call for a contract. Mayfield would be a great addition to Pittsburgh as they have had several issues at the quarterback position in 2023, and Baker could be the missing piece for their offense.
Even though Mayfield has not lived up to the expectation of a number one pick in the NFL draft, he seems to be playing at a high level now that no one anticipated, just like when he brought the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs in his second and third seasons with the team. In the 2023 regular season with Tampa Bay, he amounted to 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, which is the best statistical season in his career.
