The Pittsburgh Steelers are expecting clarity from Aaron Rodgers on if he’s going to return before the 2026 NFL Draft. But if they don’t get it, they could be in the market for a quarterback. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema believes Alabama’s Ty Simpson is a good fit for the Steelers.
“What do you do? Aaron Rodgers isn’t there yet. You’ve only got Will Howard and Mason Rudolph on the roster,” Sikkema said on an episode of The Bluechip Committee. “If I’m the Steelers, I like Ty Simpson in this Mike McCarthy offense. I think you could win games. I really do.”
Simpson is considered the second-best quarterback prospect in the draft behind likely No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. However, Simpson’s draft range is still unclear, as he’s currently projected to go anywhere from the middle of the first round to falling to the second round. There’s a chance Simpson is around with Pittsburgh’s first-round pick at No. 21 overall, but the team would have to be convinced he’s the quarterback of the future for them to select him early.
If the Steelers are genuinely interested in Simpson, they’re doing a good job of disguising it. His Pro Day was attended by area scout Zack Crockett and Ike Taylor, who worked out the defensive backs at Alabama. The Steelers did hold a formal Combine interview with Simpson, though, and their limited Pro Day attendance shouldn’t completely rule him out.
Last season, the Steelers only had senior scouting assistant Kelvin Fisher at Oregon’s Pro Day and the team still selected Derrick Harmon in the first round. The year prior, Troy Fautanu’s Washington Pro Day was attended by offensive line coach Pat Meyer and area scout Mark Bruener.
Regardless, Simpson is a name that has routinely been associated with the Steelers. In our scouting report, Jim Hester gave him an 8.4 (long-time starter) grade, signaling that Simpson does have the upside to be a potential long-term solution for the team. If the Steelers do believe he’s that guy, he very well could be the pick at No. 21 overall. His mental processing and use of the middle of the field should fit in with a Mike McCarthy West Coast offense, as Sikkema believes. But there are concerns due to Simpson’s late-season struggles and limited experience with just 15 starts.
But if there’s a quarterback worth taking behind Mendoza in the first round, the consensus is that it would be Simpson. With their quarterback of the future a major question mark, the Steelers could turn to Simpson.
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