The quarterback position for the Pittsburgh Steelers is surrounded by uncertainty. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will be unrestricted free agents this offseason, and neither looks to be a long-term answer at the position.

Wilson started most of the season for Pittsburgh, and though he got off to a nice start, the veteran fell apart at the end of the regular season and is no longer a high-level starting signal caller.

Fields started the first six games of the campaign while Wilson dealt with a calf injury, and the former Ohio State Buckeye showed some promise, totaling ten touchdowns to just two turnovers with a 4-2 record.

If the Steelers lose both quarterbacks this offseason, general manager Omar Khan will have to start fresh at the most pivotal position in the sport. But if Khan decides to move on from one and retain the other to be the starter next year, then Pittsburgh will be in the market for a backup quarterback.

There will be a plethora of capable backup signal-callers on the market this offseason, but Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders lists Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo as a potential target for the Steelers.

Jimmy Garoppolo was pretty good with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022, with a 67.2% completion percentage and a 103.0 passer rating. But he’s dealt with significant injuries and has only played in eight games over the last two seasons.

Garoppolo served as the San Francisco 49ers starter for four seasons and led the franchise to a Super Bowl LIV appearance in 2019 and an NFC Championship game appearance in 2021. The veteran totaled a 38-17 win-loss record with San Francisco and completed over 67.6% of his passes during his tenure with the franchise.

Since leaving the 49ers, Garoppolo has mostly been a backup, outside of starting six games with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023 and one game for the Rams in 2024.

The 33-year-old’s days of being a solid starter are over, but signing Garoppolo to a cheap deal to be the backup behind Pittsburgh’s 2025 starter would be a savvy move from Khan. The two-time Super Bowl champion has a ton of playoff experience and has shown that he can string together a few wins if called upon.

If the Steelers sign Garoppolo with the idea of potentially starting him, it would be a foolish acquisition. But if the franchise picks up the 2014 second-round pick of the New England Patriots to serve as a veteran backup, it would be a respectable signing.