To put it bluntly, the Pittsburgh Steelers need to address the quarterback position this offseason. There’s been a lot of talk about Aaron Rodgers, but if he doesn’t return, the Steelers will be between a rock and a hard place. The trade market looks bleak, with names like Mac Jones, Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa fronting it. In free agency, things aren’t much more appetizing either. Thus, many are pointing to the draft, where Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson could be available at the 21st overall pick.
Even if Simpson is available, Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly doesn’t think the Steelers should pull the trigger on him.
“I would be shocked right now if they would. Absolutely. ‘Cause Ty Simpson, I won’t even say it, but he does have a little bit, reminds me of Kenny Pickett. He’s the best of the worst. Maybe in other drafts, he doesn’t even go in the first round. Considering he would be the second quarterback off the market, that pushes him up a little bit,” Kaboly said Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan. “That’s just as big of a project as Will Howard, in my opinion.
Kaboly is right about the lack of talent in this year’s draft pushing Simpson up the board. This draft in general isn’t the strongest, but especially at quarterback, things are rough. Fernando Mendoza seems a lock to be the first overall pick, and Simpson is generally viewed as the consensus second quarterback in the class.
But that doesn’t mean the Steelers should take him if he’s available. While Ty Simpson and Kenny Pickett, whom Kaboly compares him to, have different play styles, they have a similar situation in terms of potential draft placement. When the Steelers drafted Pickett at 20th overall, he was the best choice in a horrible quarterback class. The Steelers desperately needed an answer at the position, but Pickett was drafted too high.
It’s possible selecting Simpson produce have the same result. There is a lot to like about him, but he did have a somewhat tough end to the 2025 season and had just one year of collegiate starting experience. Plus, adding him to the roster with Will Howard would create an odd-man-out situation in the quarterback room. If Rodgers does come back, perhaps it makes more sense to roll with Howard for the future and use the 21st pick on a different position, like cornerback or wide receiver.
If the Steelers don’t covet Simpson, there are some other options. Trinidad Chambliss, against his will, is likely going to be in the draft. There’s also Garrett Nussmeier, who has connections to Mike McCarthy. None of these QBs seem ready to start right away, but they could make sense after the first round.
Either way, the Steelers need to solve the position. Until they do, analysts are going to pair them with prospects like Ty Simpson.
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