Once again, the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for a quarterback. And once again, this offseason’s quarterback market isn’t especially strong. The two names most often connected to Pittsburgh have been last season’s starter, Aaron Rodgers, and the backup in Green Bay, Malik Willis.
As of now, Rodgers seems to have a spot waiting for him in Pittsburgh, if he wants it. But to former Steeler Ryan Clark, Malik Willis would provide much more hope for a long-term plan.
“I want the Pittsburgh Steelers to move on from Aaron Rodgers and acquire Malik Willis… His passing has now ascended, he’s pushing the football down the field,” Clark said this week on Inside the NFL. “Now, under Mike McCarthy, you’re not just piecemealing or putting a Band-Aid on the quarterback position. You’re getting possibly your quarterback of the next decade.”
Assuming Malik Willis works out, whether he signs with the Steelers or not, he might be the best long-term option on the market. Thus, it’s not surprising he seems to be the most attractive quarterback in free agency.
The biggest reason for that is his potential. Willis knows how to use his legs; that was one of his strongest traits in college. However, we’ve already seen his arm show some big improvement during his short time as a starter. Willis has shown a greater ability to throw the ball downfield. He’s learned how to put touch on the ball, especially when throwing deep.
If the Dolphins can get Malik Willis for a short-term deal (as has been suggested) and can make it work under the cap, what really is the risk?
This assumes Hafley and JES want Willis, of course. They have more info on him than anyone outside of GB. pic.twitter.com/Ar52fOErUj
— Matt Infante (@MattInfante) February 12, 2026
But he’s a bit of a double-edged sword when evaluating his play. On one hand, some of the plays he’s been able to make are very impressive, considering he’s started just six games. It’s also worth noting that the first three of those came with a terrible Tennessee Titans team back in 2022. His three starts with the Packers looked much better. Willis has certainly shown more promise than some of the other young quarterbacks around the league, despite having far fewer chances to do so.
On the other hand, some see signs of a fluke. It’s very risky to sign someone to a big-money deal with just three starts in the last two years. And in those starts, opponents didn’t have as much film on him, or prepare for him as well as they might’ve if he were the full-time starter. While Willis’ potential is very exciting, you can’t deny the risk.
Since Malik Willis is probably the best free-agent quarterback, the Steelers would have to outbid some other teams. Clark wonders if his deal might look similar to Sam Darnold’s in Seattle.
“You don’t have to go and pay Malik Willis $60 million. Now, will it be a deal that’s maybe over what Sam Darnold made? Maybe. But I feel like that’s where you can start working with Malik Willis,” Clark said.
Sam Darnold’s current annual average value is just over $33 million. That’s a fair value for Willis, but he may not see as much, since Darnold proved much more with Minnesota in the year leading up to his free agency. But last offseason, Justin Fields got an average annual value of $20 million in New York. Willis would likely command more than that.
For the right price, he’s worth taking a chance on. The Steelers like Will Howard, but they at least have proof of what Malik Willis can do at the NFL level. Without a strong option in the draft, and especially if Rodgers doesn’t return, Willis is a name to monitor.
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