Less than one week before the start of free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers still face plenty of uncertainty at quarterback. As updated by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, what the team knows is its optimism about Will Howard, the extensive homework it’s done on the top quarterbacks in the draft, and its desire to bring Aaron Rodgers back.
What the team does not know is everything else.
“The Steelers are hoping that they can bring him back,” Fowler said of Rodgers Thursday afternoon on SportsCenter. “But on The Pat McAfee Show yesterday, it was not exactly clear. So we know that with Aaron Rodgers and offseasons, it’s gonna take some time. So I don’t expect a clear resolution here, but the Steelers are gonna work on this.
“They got Will Howard, the six-round pick from last year. They do really like him. They’ve been impressed with him.”
Any prospect of a quick Rodgers decision seemingly went out the window following his Wednesday interview on The Pat McAfee Show. Rodgers said no decision had been made and intimated it will take awhile for the process to play out even as other reporters indicated that Pittsburgh still expects an answer soon.
Rodgers even threw some subtle shade at Pittsburgh for not offering him a contract and remarked “It takes two to tango.” The Steelers have gone on-record wanting Rodgers back, but there’s no telling when a decision gets made. Or if Pittsburgh will pivot off Rodgers at any point.
No matter if Rodgers returns, retires, or does something else, Pittsburgh will have its eye on the 2026 draft class. Fowler reiterated that the Steelers are doing their homework on all the top names with an additional nugget.
“So if they took one in the first three rounds, that would not shock me,” he said.
The question is — who? Alabama’s Ty Simpson is the No. 2 quarterback on most draft boards but there’s plenty of debate of whether he’s worthy of a first-round pick and franchise-passer label. The next group of quarterbacks are clumped together with LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Penn State’s Drew Allar slightly leading the pack. Our scouting reports and grades place Allar No. 2 in the class, though our report on Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza hasn’t been released and will likely push Allar to third place.
With three third-round picks, it wouldn’t be shocking for Pittsburgh to use one on the position. If Rodgers returns, that could make the room crowded with four viable quarterbacks, Mason Rudolph the other, for three spots. But at sport’s most important position, the Steelers want options. By late April, the depth chart could finally be settled.
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