The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most inconsistent organizations when it comes to the quarterback position ever since Ben Roethlisberger hung up his cleats following the 2021 campaign. It has been a struggle, and eventually led to the franchise signing a 41-year-old in Aaron Rodgers. The veteran has played well at times in 2025, but a retirement is very likely after the season wraps up. General Manager Omar Khan is expected to have over 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, which has created a lot of speculation about his potential plans for a trade-up in the first round.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan stares off into the distance as he stands on the field in Pittsburgh, PA while the team warms up prior to a professional football game.
The Steelers played the trade deadline very conservatively, which was another indication that Khan and co. are seriously valuing the picks that they are projected to have. Teams need a star at the signal-caller spot to have long-term security, and that is something that Pittsburgh doesn't currently have. The challenge will not only be finding the right guy, but also not missing on the wrong one, as the organization did with Kenny Pickett.
In a recent piece for The Athletic, National NFL Insider Jeff Howe went into great detail about what executives around the league are thinking when it comes to the 2026 draft class. Unfortunately, there are a lot of individuals throughout the NFL that presently do not have a lot of faith in the prospects that will be available in April. Howe used some more context when quoting anonymous decision-makers.
"“Nobody is playing the position well enough to be like, ‘That dude can take over my franchise,’” said an NFL team executive who was granted anonymity so he could speak openly."
What Howe wrote about next was even more worrisome. Another executive implied that it could be a guessing game, and teams involved in the hunt for a quarterback could be picking with their eyes closed.
"“I don’t love any of (the quarterbacks) right now,” a second executive said. “We’re trying to grasp onto somebody because there isn’t anybody, and it’s such a flavor of the week. Good luck right now.”"
It's easy for any franchise to select a signal-caller in any given draft, but the challenging part is finding the right guy. With several teams possibly needing quarterbacks, the evaluation process will be critical. If the Steelers swing and miss, it could set the organization back several more years. At the moment, it may be a better idea to trade some picks to gain more draft capital in 2027.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan looks on as the team sets up in front of fans to workout at the annual Friday Night Lights training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
The Steelers have struggled in finding a new quarterback because of the consistency that Mike Tomlin has provided. Some may not be impressed with his non-losing season streak, but regardless of whether the team just misses the playoffs or loses in the first round, draft positioning is never ideal for finding the right fit at the signal-caller spot.
A prospect like Indiana University's Fernando Mendoza is going to be picked right away, and the Steelers would have to give up a plethora of first-round picks to move all the way up. It's not impossible to make a move to just slip into the Top 10, but at that point, a team like Pittsburgh risks reaching for a prospect, rather than taking a guy that it truly fell in love with during the pre-draft process.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) sit in the franchise's draft room as they anxiously watch the board in 2023.
Steelers Can't Miss Next Time A Quarterback Is Taken In The Draft
Will Howard has yet to have a legitimate chance at proving himself, but the front office is likely to take a signal-caller at some point regardless in one of the next two drafts. Based on the current draft capital projected for 2026, it would be more ideal to trade up when the event is hosted in the Steel City. With several executives not believing in the upcoming class, however, that could spell trouble for Khan and co.
Do you think that the Steelers' 2026 draft plans could be ruined? Let us know in the comments below!
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