Will Steelers Add Another Quarterback to Roster?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have three quarterbacks officially after signing Kyle Allen. After singing Allen and Russell Wilson and trading for Justin Fields, that seems like the obvious three quarterbacks. But if you know anything about the Steelers, they love to go into training camp with four quarterbacks. And it seems like they could add someone else.

For one, Allen, 28, will be entering his seventh season in the NFL. He was most recently the top backup to Josh Allen with the Buffalo Bills, playing in seven games for the Bills in 2023 without recording a pass.

His last game action came in 2022, when he played in two games for the Houston Texans. He completed 46 of 78 passes (59%) for 416 yards (5.3 yards per attempt), two touchdowns, four interceptions and a 60.6 passer rating.

But Pittsburgh’s pattern of quarterback interest indicates they are not done. Sure, there was the oddball Michael Penix Jr. visit. That is out of left field, but beyond that, there is more here. The Steelers sent quarterbacks coach Tom Arth to South Alabama Pro Day to scout Carter Bradley, and they are hosting free agent quarterback Kory Curtis for a private workout.

Those guys’ additions are not going to shake the room, but it signals a concerted effort to add someone else. Pittsburgh is searching to fill out this room.

A guy at the Senior Bowl, Bradley was the unknown of the group. If you are not used to watching him, he has some surprising zip on his ball, and he plays with arm arrogance. But it can lead to some baffling decisions, and the mechanics on his front leg are a mess, leading to balls spraying all over the field.

Regardless, for a late round quarterback he can sling the pill all over the yard, and those traits are what teams are looking for in targets that late in the class. Curtis is in a similar vein with great physical tools, and given Gannon is a somewhat local school for Pittsburgh, the connection there is strong. He remains someone to monitor closely with a private workout coming up for the Steelers.

You likely know the three players who are making the final roster already. And you might even be able to predict the depth chart currently. But a younger guy is likely coming in with some upside that could be used as a practice squad stash. Pittsburgh is explicitly going after younger guys with arm talent, which is no coincidence. They want someone with upside, and though it has been a while since they have stashed a quarterback on the practice squad, the profile of guys they are looking at mean this year could be the difference in that philosophy, especially with no one under contract in 2025 as of now.