As the Cleveland Browns hunker down and begin to evaluate all available quarterbacks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, there are a few names that are sure to specifically pop up on the radar of head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
Those names include the highly touted Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, as well as those who'll likely fall in the draft like Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe.
Milroe, specifically, is a name that's been brought up more and more for the Browns as Rees' promotion has pushed his connection to the soon-to-be rookie quarterback to the forefront. The former Alabama OC coached Milroe during the best season of his career. Why wouldn't Cleveland want to replicate that success?
However, Milroe has other fans around the league apparently, and one is reportedly a team within the Browns' division.
Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly interested in Jalen Milroe
Out of the four teams in the AFC North, there are two that stand out as feeling like the most in disarray - the Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both are in need of a true QB1, but Pittsburgh is in a better spot heading into 2025 given they have Justin Fields waiting in the wings to permanently earn the starting role.
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However, according to Pittsburgh sports broadcaster Andrew Fillipponi, the Steelers have "fans" of Milroe in the building who feel "he's a first round talent." Additionally, Fillipponi mentions in his post on Twitter/X that the Steelers will have head coach Mike Tomlin at the Senior Bowl where Milroe will also be participating.
Pittsburgh could use another quarterback behind Fields if he becomes a shaky option at QB1, especially since he got very inconsistent reps behind Russell Wilson in 2024. He led the Steelers to a 4-2 record before Wilson came back from injury, but it remains unclear if the Steelers are committed to re-signing him to a new deal in free agency.
As Pittsburgh has some great cap space to work with, they can easily secure Fields to a new deal. But, if it's true that they have interest in taking Milroe in the draft, they'll have to hope that the Browns aren't as impressed by him as they have an early second rounder to spend as well as two third rounders. That's four picks in three rounds compared to Pittsburgh's three.
The interest could simply be typical "slop" during a very tumultuous and rumor-filled offseason, but it'd be interesting to see these two AFC North rivals court the same high-ceiling quarterback in a division chock full of generational quarterback talent.