Steelers' Follow-Up To Aaron Rodgers' Lone Season In Pittsburgh Could Be 1 Of 2 Former First Overall Picks

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not been stable at the quarterback position since the 2021 season came to an end. Following the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, the organization has been consistently trying to find a long-term answer at the most important spot in all of football. It is rather exciting that a four-time MVP in Aaron Rodgers will be under center for the 2025 campaign, but it still remains a mystery as to who will provide stability at the position long-term. This means that, regardless of what happens throughout the regular season, fans will be forced to hear all types of rumors once the 2026 offseason rolls around.

The Steelers are expected to have 12 selections when the draft is hosted in the Steel City come April of 2026, which means the front office will have the ability to trade up a bit easier if need be to grab a signal-caller. Before that possibility arises though, the franchise will be in the headlines about potentially making a trade for a veteran. In fact, the murmurs are already beginning before 2025 training camp has even gotten underway.

Brooke Pryor covers the team for ESPN, and recently wrote a piece about why Rodgers signing a one-year deal is a good thing. She detailed that Pittsburgh may try to find an established player that could use a change of scenery when 2026 kicks off.

"The Steelers could first look at former first-round picks who haven't played up to their expected potential," Pryor wrote. "Arizona's Kyler Murray will have two years and a club option on his current contract after the 2025 season. His cap hits are significant -- $53.2 million and $43.5 million -- but they could be massaged and restructured." 

Kyler Murray was drafted first overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft. If the franchise has another bad year in 2025, it might be decided that everything needs to be torn down, which could result in Murray (and his massive cap hits) being dealt. It didn't stop there for Pryor, however. The reporter also mentioned that another former first overall pick could be in play if the 2025 campaign does not go well for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence, who has one Pro Bowl berth since being drafted first overall in 2021, signed a five-year, $275 million contract before the 2024 season, but he could be worth an inquiry."

Lawrence was already linked to the Steelers during the 2025 offseason, but there ended up being pretty much no way to prove that any of the reports out there were viable. It's possible that Pittsburgh reached out, but that can't be proven and doesn't matter at this stage. If the front office in the Steel City did have some interest in Lawrence, however, and both teams are unhappy with their 2025 performances, who's to say talks couldn't ramp up before the 2026 NFL Draft?

It's pretty crazy to think that people already want to look ahead to the post-Rodgers era, but it's human nature to do so, especially when the Steelers haven't had stability at the position for over three years. The reality is that, depending on how the 2025 season goes, the months leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft could be loaded with rumors, and it wouldn't be surprising to hear Murray or Lawrence involved in those (depending on how their current situations develop).

Steelers Are In A Decent Spot For 2026 Quarterback Search

Whether cap space, draft capital, or a mix of both are taken into account, Pittsburgh's General Manager Omar Khan will have his options open once the 2025 season concludes. It's likely not something he's worried too much about right now, but all options will be on the table. The pressure is more significant because it is evident that it is nearly impossible to win consistently at the professional level without a franchise quarterback.

Do you think that the Steelers could trade for their future franchise quarterback instead of drafting one in 2026? Let us know in the comments below!

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