I get it: some fans saw Landry Jones have some bad preseason games, and the don’t want him backing up Ben Roethlisberger.

I’ve long made the case as to why Landry Jones isn’t a terrible second choice when considering other options around the league, but with the soon to be fifth-year QB possibly heading for free agency, it’s worth looking at what those other options might look like.

And it’s not that pretty.

Several quarterbacks that could be available when the NFL’s free agency period begins in March are listed below. Here’s why the Steelers should pass on offering them a contract.

Nick Foles

It’s being reported that the Kansas City Chiefs are going to pass on keeping Nick Foles for another season. The backup quarterback was due to make over $6 million this upcoming season, which is part of the reason he may not have a future in KC.

Foles, originally drafted by Philadelphia in 2012, became a sensation in his second season with the Eagles, making it to the Pro Bowl. He, like many other Eagles, left the City of Brotherly Love during the Chip Kelly era, landing with the St. Louis Rams after the latter traded Sam Bradford for him.

After acting as the Rams starter for a season, the team moved to Los Angeles and selected Jared Goff at the top of the 2016 NFL Draft, which prompted Foles to request his release.

The Chiefs signed Foles to a one-year deal worth $1.75 million, but had an incentive laden second-year option which could’ve been worth between an estimated $6 and 16 million!

Foles may have to devalue himself again to be worth that much to a team like the Steelers, who aren’t keen to paying backup quarterbacks much over $2 million per season over the course of this decade. It’s not as if he’s not a capable backup: Foles completed 65.5% of his passes for 410 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions, in 3 games last season.

It’s his price tag which has me most concerned. If he’s willing to do a similar deal, I’d find it hard to believe that the Chiefs would let him hit the market in the first place.

Josh McCown

I’m so vehemently against signing McCown, I wrote an entire article dedicated to not signing the former Browns, Bears, Bucs, and name a few other teams in-between, quarterback.

If you already saw it, or just want a summary, my argument against McCown is not only cost, but age and injuries. McCown turns 38 in July. While that might be the magic number for Steelers LB James Harrison, that’s more of the exception than the rule, when it comes to longevity in the NFL.

I also think Josh might not want to move one more time, but there’s a possibility he could have his interest piqued by playing for a Super Bowl contender. However, if the Steelers are going to move on from Landry Jones, I think they need to at least find a veteran who has more than a year or two left in the league, to lean on, if needed.

Mike Glennon & A.J. McCarron

I lumped both of these quarterbacks together, because they’re both hitting the market for the first time.

Glennon has a larger body of work than McCarron, which has had Tampa Bay dangle him as trade bait a la New England quarterbacks. The rumor is that the Buccaneers asking price in a trade (first round pick plus more) was too rich for any serious considerations from teams around the league.

McCarron on the other hand stepped in for Andy Dalton and didn’t look all that bad. He has a shorter film reel than Glennon, and thus, is a riskier acquisition to expect to step in and start. Including the postseason, McCarron has 4 career starts.

Glennon has 18.

Each are young, intriguing prospects who have decent completion percentages and have thrown more touchdowns than interceptions. That’s going to drive their market price up, and out of Pittsburgh’s range.

I also believe each of these quarterbacks are looking for an opportunity to become a starter: something that might not be a possibility in Pittsburgh for many years to come. By that time, those young QB’s are no longer “as young” and they’ll also be ready for another contract.

Why wait when you can go get a starting gig, and more money from another team?

Colin Kaepernick

The last name on the potential free agent acquisition list is the polarizing figure from San Francisco, Colin Kaepernick.

That’s all you need to know about a potential Kaepernick pickup by Pittsburgh. The Rooney family would as much assume to avoid any negative baggage that could come with signing Colin, regardless of how his numbers have looked throughout his career.

While many are surmising that Kaepernick could take a backup role, I have my own doubts that he would be willing to wear a headset after being in a backup position the last couple of years with the 49ers.

Whether or not you agree with Kaepernick’s political posturing, we can all agree Steelers have enough “controversy” surrounding their team over the last few years to take on another potential problem.