The Steelers are projected to trade up for a developing quarterback in a mock draft.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 NFL offseason has been increasingly intriguing in recent days.

They were the first team in the league to make moves the day following the Super Bowl.

To free up financial space, they benched three former starters, including Mitch Trubisky.

Since then, they have been closely associated with quarterbacks that are available this summer across the league.

In some strange way, they have emerged as the favorites to sign both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and Kirk Cousins is “keeping an eye” on them.

They still have the option to select a quarterback in the draft.

In a mock draft made public by FanDuel on February 13, it was anticipated that the Steelers would strike a deal with the Indianapolis Colts to advance to pick 15 and choose former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy’s Increasing Draft Value

Although McCarthy hasn’t been able to play for football fans since the conclusion of the collegiate football season, his draft stock has suddenly increased.

The Steelers appeared to have the possibility of selecting McCarthy with pick 20 at the very least.

The Vikings are now the clear favorite to select him with pick 11.

Destin Adams of AtoZ Sports claims that he is even listed as the QB2 on the draft board of one NFC team.

The most obvious explanation is that, with the NFL season being concluded, scouts and experts have had more time to examine McCarthy as a potential.

In contrast to his opponents in this year’s quarterback class, McCarthy’s college career was not marked by spectacular stats.

On the other hand, some of his more sophisticated data indicates that he was a proficient thrower when moving and on third and fourth downs.

Early in the draft season, McCarthy has begun to draw more attention due to his advanced numbers, arm strength, and high level of success.

Steelers quarterback situation

Few NFL clubs have a more intricate quarterback situation than the Steelers have at the moment.

Two years ago, they acquired a quarterback with a first-round pick.

Sadly, that quarterback hasn’t performed well. They haven’t been able to choose a quarterback with a higher chance of succeeding in the NFL, though, since they haven’t been able to win enough games with that one.

They cannot afford to invest more late-first money in a quarterback who raises doubts. They could attempt to bring in a veteran, but very few would genuinely be an improvement, and those that do come with a hefty price tag or their own set of doubts.

The Steelers are now left without a clear solution for how to consistently produce strong quarterback play, even though they likely know that improving the position at quarterback is necessary for the team to advance.

Cousins appears to be their best option for 2024, but unless Kenny Picktt improves on the bench, he might potentially begin to deteriorate shortly, landing them back in the same predicament.

It might be a good idea for the Steelers to make sure they select their quarterback of choice if they have complete confidence in a prospect this year; nevertheless, they cannot afford to make a mistake again.

McCarthy might be that player for the Steelers, but they would need to move up to get him.

John Vaccaro is an NFL reporter for Heavy.com, where he primarily covers the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. Previously, he worked as an editor and writer at BroBible and FanSided, covering the NFL, NBA, MMA, and college sports.A bit more about John Vaccaro