The Pittsburgh Steelers have a significant question mark at the quarterback position going into the 2026 offseason.
Aaron Rodgers is a free agent, and with the departure of head coach Mike Tomlin, the expectation is he's even less likely to return to Pittsburgh. That would leave Mason Rudolph and Will Howard as the only signal-callers on the roster.
The book is already written on Rudolph, who is a solid backup but not a starter, and the jury is still very much out on Howard after the sixth-round pick didn't play a single snap this past season.
While the Steelers could very well opt to sign a veteran quarterback, the team should be exploring its options in the 2026 NFL draft no matter what.
Not only does Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut believe the Steelers will explore their options, he predicts Pittsburgh will draft Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
It is time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to determine their future at the quarterback position," Johnson said. "If the organization wants to bring in a veteran like Joe Flacco as a potential bridge starter, that is fine, but there needs to be a long-term plan. Ty Simpson had plenty of ups and downs in his first year as a starter, but the traits are good enough to make him a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft. He is a better quarterback prospect than Kenny Pickett was. Perhaps Aaron Rodgers even returns for one more year, serving as a mentor for Simpson. It would give the Steelers short-term stability while the fan base finally has some optimism for the future at QB."
Simpson has reportedly declared for the 2026 NFL draft, and with Oregon's Dante Moore staying in college, Simpson could be the No. 2 quarterback in this class behind Fernando Mendoza, assuming the Indiana star declares himself.
But being the No. 2 quarterback doesn't necessarily mean Simpson will go early. It is quite possible he'll be off the board before the Steelers are on the clock, and it's also possible the Steelers could land him at No. 21 overall or simply pass on him entirely in that spot.
That's just the level of uncertainty we're dealing with when it comes to this year's quarterback class, so anything and everything is on the table right now.
Simpson's lack of experience is troubling, as he only started for one season with the Crimson Tide. However, that season was impressive, with Simpson completing 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns to five picks.
Given their need at the position, we could see the Steelers springing for Simpson at some point in the draft, but he's far from guaranteed to land in Pittsburgh, also.
More NFL News
- Mike McDaniel rumor is great news for Lions, Eagles, Buccaneers
- Eagles rumor from The Athletic names Philly's top OC candidates
- Former Steelers wide receiver announces retirement from the NFL
- Ben Roethlisberger shares preference for Steelers' next head coach
- Patriots sign edge rusher and potential spy ahead of Texans game