While the Pittsburgh Steelers’ interest in quarterbacks this draft season is undeniable, that doesn’t mean they are prepared to go all in on one. They could still draft a QB at No. 21 overall, but it doesn’t sound like a trade up to secure one is in the cards, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter. He said this morning that he doesn’t sense any desperation in the Steelers’ pursuit of a quarterback.

“New Orleans and Pittsburgh both have gone into this eyeing a quarterback, wanting a quarterback, but neither one in a position where it’s going to force a quarterback,” Schefter said via ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike. “I don’t think they view it with the desperation that we’re talking about it right now.”

If you look at the current quarterback depth chart, it seems like there maybe should be some desperation. Skylar Thompson and Mason Rudolph don’t make up the depth chart of a serious team, and we all know the Steelers always seek to position themselves to win in the present.

The two explanations would be that they have more faith in Mason Rudolph than I would want to believe, or that they are pretty darn certain Rodgers will end up signing.

“I think that they’re prepared to head into the season and have been prepared to head into the season with Mason [as the] quarterback,” Schefter said. “Of course they want Aaron Rodgers, but even if they go draft a guy at 21, I don’t know that they’re counting on him making a huge mark for a team that can win right now.”

If the right quarterback falls to the Steelers in the first round, or even the third round after their long wait to pick at No. 83, they could definitely take him. But don’t expect the Steelers to trade draft capital — they have just six picks in this draft — to move up and secure one.

“Pittsburgh’s not trading up for a quarterback, I don’t believe. I’d be really surprised if that were to happen,” Schefter said. “They’re gonna sit where they are. They’re gonna let the draft come [to them].”

While analysts like Ryan Clark have suggested it would be worth selling the farm to move up for a player like Shedeur Sanders, it seems increasingly likely that he could fall to them. The Steelers have too many other needs and not enough draft capital to consider moving up.

They don’t have draft capital this year, but they do have an excess in 2026. They are expected to get four compensatory draft picks and one or two of those could end up being in the third round. They can’t trade the comp picks until they are officially awarded next offseason, but they could potentially part ways with a regular pick knowing that the value will be replaced via the compensatory system.