Steelers Finally Have An Extremely Clear Path To Landing A Franchise Quarterback In The 2026 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers are having a good season in 2025 as the team is 3-1 and in firm control of the AFC North after four weeks. They seem primed for a playoff spot, although a lot can change over the rest of the regular season. Most of the fan base is optimistic about the coming months, but it is hard not to look forward to the future of the franchise. Aaron Rodgers has performed well at quarterback, but the fan base is still desperate for the organization to find the next franchise player at the position.

The Steelers are expected to do their homework on the quarterbacks entering the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be hosted in Pittsburgh. The hope is that the organization can find a player who will be the future of the team at quarterback, but it is more than likely that the franchise will have to catapult up in the first round in order to land an ideal quarterback. As of right now, it should be expected that the Steelers will be picking in their usual spot, which is the late teens to early twenties, but there is a path to move up. 

ESPN's Draft Analyst Matt Miller can see a world where the Tennessee Titans would want to move out of the top of the draft, which would make sense considering the franchise just drafted a quarterback first overall in 2025 in Cam Ward. The roster in Tennessee needs major improvement, which could mean the organization would consider moving back to possibly acquire future draft picks, and maybe some players.

Miller mentioned a pass rusher for the defense in Tennessee, and the Steelers could fill that need by giving up a player like Alex Highsmith. The sixth-year veteran has been a great outside linebacker for Pittsburgh, but he has struggled to stay on the field and he has a talented young player behind him in Nick Herbig. This could make Highsmith a trade candidate if the opportunity presented itself, with the Steelers throwing in additional draft capital. 

It isn't a lock that the Titans will have the first overall pick again in 2026, but it seems certain they will be picking somewhere at the top of the draft, likely in the top three. The Steelers would likely have to give up Highsmith, their 2026 first-round pick, and 2027 first-round pick at the very least. Additional picks will probably need to be included as well, with some Day 2 selections probably being tossed in.

The most comparable deal to this one would be when the Carolina Panthers traded with the Chicago Bears for the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Carolina gave up DJ Moore, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. The Steelers would need to give up more as the Panthers' picks were more valuable at that time.

Steelers Can See A Lot Change Ahead Of The 2026 NFL Draft

The 2025 college football season has barely gotten underway, but there is a real possibility that there won't be any quarterbacks worth trading up for. A lot of the big names that were getting love in the preseason have not played like they were expected to so far, with the top quarterback in the country arguably being Fernando Mendoza currently. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers think it is worth it to move up for a player like Mendoza, or another quarterback, as a trade like this could have ramifications for many years. 

How the organization addresses the future of the quarterback position is something that fans will be paying close attention to. The fan base won't be happy with another season of adding a veteran quarterback, so it is crucial that the franchise makes the position a priority during the 2026 NFL Draft.

What do you think about the Steelers moving up to the top of the first round? Let us know in the comments below!

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