PITTSBURGH — The delay in deciding between quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields — a decision that could have been made months ago — would appear to suggest the Steelers are considering another option.

And that includes the possibility of going outside the organization — again — to find a starting quarterback, something the Steelers have not dismissed, according to sources.

With the start of free agency just several days away, the Steelers are inching closer to what has been labeled by team president Art Rooney II as their top priority of the offseason: settling on a starting quarterback for the 2025 season.

But who will it be? Free agents such as Sam Darnold or Aaron Rodgers? A trade for a veteran quarterback?

While some of those options don't make much sense, neither has the lingering debate of which of their own quarterbacks, Wilson or Fields, should be re-signed. The Steelers had plenty of evidence during the season to make that decision. That they haven't raises the possibility other considerations are in play.

Fields was 4-2 as a starter and produced 10 touchdowns — five passing, five rushing — in that time. Wilson was 6-1 in his first seven starts after replacing Fields and energized an offense that averaged nearly 29 points with him as the starter. But he did lose the final five games of the season, including a playoff defeat in Baltimore.

In the end, Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith often clashed how the offense should be run, differences that caused an internal split over which player should be the future starter.

Nonetheless, waiting all this time, with all the first-hand information at their disposal, is beyond puzzling. It's also curious.

That's why it's possible the Steelers could be considering finding a quarterback in free agency.

However, those possibilities seem highly dubious.

After six non-descript seasons in which he compiled a 21-35 record with three different teams, Darnold is expected to command the most attention after leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record last season. But is he a better or more viable alternative to what the Steelers already have? And would the Steelers be willing to get into a bidding war for Darnold, if it came to that?

Darnold was also in a good situation with the Vikings. He had the luxury of throwing to three former No. 1 draft picks — receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson — and even running back Aaron Jones, who caught 51 passes for 408 yards in addition to rushing for 1,138 yards. He would not have the same productive skill group with the Steelers.

Rodgers? He threw 28 touchdowns with the Jets in 2024 and is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. But he will be 42 in December, is 14-21 as a starter since the start of the 2022 season and brings new meaning to the term "enigmatic."

What's more, if Smith butted heads with Wilson about calling audibles and passing too much, how will it be much different with Rodgers, who has attempted at least 530 passes in each of his past six full seasons? There's a reason two head coaches have been fired because of him.

The Steelers will make a move with their quarterback situation in the next day or two. The ponderous and needless delay deciding between Wilson and Fields — if that is even the real debate — has opened other possibilities.

How real they are will be determined shortly.

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