Steelers' 2026 Starting Quarterback Is Becoming More Clear After Breaking NFL News

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been stuck in quarterback purgatory ever since Ben Roethlisberger decided to retire after the 2021 season. The organization has tried to fix the position by drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but that didn't work as the organization gave up on him after just two seasons. The franchise then went the veteran quarterback route as Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers have all started games for the Steelers over the last two seasons. The Steelers need to get younger at the position, and the organization is desperate for an answer at the most important spot in the offensive lineup.

The Steelers need to find a multi-year solution at quarterback, and it doesn't look like the team will be positioned well enough to do that through the 2026 NFL Draft. However, there might be some options around the league. Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals does not seem to be on good terms with the organization, and he was just ruled out for the rest of the 2025 season with a foot injury. He has not played since Week 5, and his head coach announced that he would miss the rest of the year on Friday. NFL insider Adam Schefter then posed the question of where Murray might play next.

Murray is under contract through the 2028 season, with the 2028 season being a club option on the deal. Despite the contract, his time in Arizona seems to be up. He should expect to be cut or traded during the 2026 offseason, although it might be difficult to move his contract via trade. He could get released, which would essentially make him a free agent with the Cardinals still owing him money.

This situation could be viewed as similar to Russell Wilson's situation with the Denver Broncos during the 2024 offseason. Wilson had a contract that was near impossible to trade due to the guarantees on the deal, so he was released by the Broncos and the organization was forced to eat the dead cap. Pittsburgh was then able to sign Wilson to get a veteran minimum deal as he was still getting paid by the Broncos.

That could very well happen again, this time with Murray. However, his contract is much more friendly to trade than Wilson's ever was. A team like the Steelers could take a risk on trading for the quarterback, especially if there is a way to work out a deal with Arizona so that they are eating some of his salary. He has a cap hit of roughly $97 million over the next two seasons, but his dead cap hit in 2027 is only $7.2 million, which allows for the Steelers to get out of his deal rather early if they were to trade for him.

It would also be smart for Arizona to eat some of the money on the contract when trying to trade Murray. The Cardinals are rebuilding and are likely to be working with a rookie quarterback over the next few years, which would allow for the organization to spend elsewhere due to the franchise having a quarterback on a rookie contract.

Steelers Will Certainly Have A Chance To Land Kyler Murray

Murray would be an exciting addition for Pittsburgh as he is a younger, mobile quarterback that has been good in this league before. He has been a Pro Bowler twice, and a change of scenery could help him recapture his love for the game. Whether it is by trade or release, the Steelers should have a chance to land him, as Jonathan Gannon's comments on Friday when asked whether or not Murray would be back in 2026 weren't too inspiring.

"I'm worried about the Rams right now, honestly," Gannon said.

It seems all but certain that Murray will be playing somewhere else in 2026, and Pittsburgh is going to consistently be mentioned in those rumors as it is an organization that is desperate for help at quarterback. 

What do you think about Murray coming to the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!

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