New Price Tag On Malik Willis Might Force The Steelers To Pursue The Exciting QB

The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to perpetually be involved in quarterback rumors, especially when it comes to young signal-callers that may have shown some potential in recent years. Ideally, the organization would be able to find its next franchise quarterback through the NFL Draft, but that has not happened yet for Pittsburgh. This has left the franchise chasing veterans around in free agency, which is a bit of what is happening during the 2026 offseason as Omar Khan and company wait to hear news of Aaron Rodgers' decision of whether or not he will be returning for the 2026 season.

The quarterback market in the 2026 offseason is not very impressive, but it is quite intriguing. Players like Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa are probably going to end up on different teams, while Malik Willis is the cream of the crop in free agency. He has filled in for Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers quite nicely over the last two seasons, and he has caught the eyes of many teams as his rookie contract is set to expire.

Many have been trying to get an idea of what Willis might cost a team in free agency, and recent reports have suggested he could get over $30 million per year. That price would completely take the Steelers out of the running, but NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN revealed that the number should actually be a bit lower in reality.

"Willis' market has been a prominent topic this week." Fowler wrote. "But a team offering him $30-plus million per year doesn't appear realistic. Many front offices believe the more accurate comp is Justin Fields' deal with the Jets last year (two years, $40 million). Could that jump up due to cap inflation and/or multiple suitors? Sure. A range of $20-25 million annually is certainly a good starting point. But Willis hitting the $30 million threshold as a player with six career starts would surprise some of the teams at the combine."

Justin Fields played with the Steelers in 2024, and the team could not retain him once he hit free agency, as he signed a two-year deal with the New York Jets. The deal was for $40 million, with $30 million being fully guaranteed. The Steelers didn't want to pay that much, and it was probably the guaranteed money that scared him away.

With the cap jumping up $22 million during the 2026 offseason, Willis' deal should come in a little above Fields' contract with the Jets. It might even be a little bit longer. The price will ultimately be determined by the number of teams that are interested in the quarterback's services, which Fowler also touched on.

"Expect at least two and possibly several teams to be involved on Willis, 'Miami is definitely in,' a source said." Fowler wrote. "Arizona is combing the market, too, but it doesn't seem likely that Willis will end up in Cleveland."

From Fowler's reporting, it seems like the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals will be heavily involved in trying to land Willis. The Cleveland Browns were viewed as a team to watch earlier in the offseason, but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. 

Miami and Arizona could get into a bidding war, but if the price stays within the $20-$25 million range, and the guaranteed money is reasonable, there is no reason to think the Steelers wouldn't be a little interested; especially if Rodgers is still making his mind up, or he even decides to retire.

Steelers Should Probably Avoid Malik Willis

Willis does not have enough snaps under his belt to warrant a contract that is even in the range of $25 million. Fields had way more starting experience before signing his deal with the Jets, and he even finished top ten in MVP voting back in 2022. Willis cannot say the same as he has barely played throughout his career. Signing Willis would be risky, especially if he wants a good amount of guaranteed money.

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