Steelers' Potential Free Agent Target "Overvalued" As Pittsburgh Is Heavily Cautioned About Possible Acquisition

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of a starting quarterback controversy, while Aaron Rodgers continues to prolong his decision on whether he will retire or play for the team again. The Steelers have a few options to fill the QB role however, even if Rodgers decides to hang it up. Will Howard is working hard this offseason with the starting role in mind, however, there is a free agent available that the Steelers could look to sign, who could be a developmental piece for Head Coach Mike McCarthy. The quarterback is coming off a season where he showed flashes of being a potential starting quarterback during his time in Green Bay. Pittsburgh could look to develop his skills to potentially have a quarterback of the future and remain competitive in 2026. 

The Steelers could be looking into Malik Willis, who took a huge leap in 2025 as he only started a game for the Packers, but looked efficient. Willis has a big arm and is extremely athletic. He can escape the pocket and use his legs to pick up key gains -- a quality that the Steelers could truly benefit from, as Rodgers is not known for his escapability. Willis' services could come at a high price tag due to his ceiling, but the Steelers have plenty of cap space. NFL.com analyst Kevin Patra however, believes that Willis could be overpaid. 

"He looked leaps and bounds better than his scattershot early-career struggles. But was that a byproduct of a good offense under Matt LaFleur and a small sample size? I can’t fault whatever team takes a shot on Willis," said Patra. "His upside is better than most available signal-callers. Yet, with just six career starts, Willis is still far from a sure thing. Handing him the reins, particularly if there are significant guarantees, would be a gamble."

While Willis showed flashes of greatness last season, he only came in while Jordan Love was injured. This small sample size could be a deterrent for the Steelers as Willis still has more to prove. With his market value being between $10-35 million per season, Willis could find himself being one of the league's highest-paid quarterbacks if he signs a big deal. The Steelers would be taking a huge gamble with Willis if they choose to sign him. 

However, it could prove to pay off for the team if Willis performs as he did in Green Bay. He showed flashes of great decision-making. He extended plays and made the right reads.

Steelers Would Be Wise To Sign Malik Willis

McCarthy is known for developing QBs, and Willis has all the talent in the world. Willis was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2022, where he only started three games in two seasons. He was traded to Green Bay in 2024, where he served as a solid backup for two more seasons. Willis was an option on RPO plays where he used his athleticism to run the ball and gave defenses different looks. When he started, Willis had a 2-1 record, and often kept the Packers' season alive while their starter, Love, was injured. Willis would be a better, more attractive option than Rodgers, as he would likely be the team's quarterback for multiple seasons. Willis may even find himself a long-term home in Pittsburgh depending on his play.

The Steelers find themselves with a huge decision to make regarding their quarterback room. They have a second-year player eager to touch the field in Howard, and an intriguing free agent who is looking to make the leap to a starting quarterback. The Steelers could look for help in the 2026 NFL Draft for their next quarterback as well. Finally, they could wait on Rodgers, who could look to come back for round two with the Steelers. 

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