There’s quite a bit of uncertainty at the Pittsburgh Steelers' QB position as the offseason moves along. During the 2026 NFL Draft, we may get more clarity on what the Steelers' plans are.
After having a successful 2025 campaign, it’s unclear if QB Aaron Rodgers will ultimately return for another season in the Steel City.
There’s a strong possibility that the Steelers could select a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday, but it's confirmed that the Steelers will draft a QB in Thursday's first round.
Below, we'll dive into the latest news and rumors around the Steelers drafting a QB, who they could be targeting, and their current QB situation.
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Steelers QB Depth Chart: No Real QB1
The Steelers have been searching for their long-term answer at the quarterback position since future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season.
Since Roethlisberger hung up his cleats, Pittsburgh has had a revolving door at the position, including the likes of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields.
In 2025, the team did have some success with Aaron Rodgers under center, but, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s unclear if Rodgers will ultimately return to play another season with Pittsburgh.
Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are currently the only quarterbacks on the roster, and have been “splitting reps” as the starter at minicamp.
After spending the 2025 season with the Tennessee Titans, the Steelers signed Rudolph to a two-year, $8 million deal in March. Howard was a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Steelers didn’t get to see much from Howard throughout the preseason and beyond last season as the former Ohio State QB suffered a fractured hand in training camp and began the regular season on injured reserve.
Will the Steelers Draft a QB in the 2026 NFL Draft?
It’s a foregone conclusion that Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza will be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After that, there’s quite a drop-off in terms of talent level at the quarterback position in this year’s class.
If the Steelers are truly skeptical that Rodgers will re-sign, the possibility of drafting a quarterback becomes more likely. Even if he does return, the Steelers may want to start developing a QB talent for the future.
According to PrizePicks Team Picks, Pittsburgh owns the second-best chances (a 3.12x payout for Yes) to select a QB in the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. Only the Arizona Cardinals have a better chance to draft a QB in the first three rounds, with a 1.63x payout.
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Alabama QB Ty Simpson is expected to be available when the Steelers are on the clock with the 21st overall pick on Thursday evening. According to PrizePicks Team Picks, the Steelers are the team with the fourth-highest chances to draft Simpson (an 8.33x payout for Yes).
Simpson did interview with Pittsburgh at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, but wasn’t brought in for a top 30 pre-draft visit. However, the Steeers' brass has been adamant that they are not drafting a QB with their first-round pick.
If the Steelers do elect to snag a QB, it appears that it will be one in the second or third round.
Miami QB Carson Beck just might be the most likely to land with the Steelers. According to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, the Steelers hosted Beck for a pre-draft visit and believe he could check a lot of boxes for the team.
Beck is the type of veteran quarterback who could appeal to the Steelers, given his five collegiate seasons. In his lone season at Miami, Beck completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 yards to go along with 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Per PrizePicks Team Picks, the Steelers are the favorites to select Beck (with a 4.34x payout for Yes). The New York Jets (5.88x payout) and the Miami Dolphins (6.66x payout) are also in the running for the Miami QB’s services.
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The Steelers certainly could select to add another quarterback to their roster at some point during the NFL Draft. Who could be in the running to be picked by the franchise?
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