The Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason has officially begun now that the Super Bowl has been played. The Seattle Seahawks won convincingly and are one of the better stories in the NFL. Their quarterback in particular, Sam Darnold, has had an amazing run. Darnold left the Minnesota Vikings after they decided to roll with their first-round pick, JJ McCarthy. That move could go down as one of the worst in Vikings history. Despite that, one of the biggest questions going into next season is, who is going to be the "next" Sam Darnold? There are two pretty good candidates as to who could break out with a new team.
Evan Siegle / Green Bay Packers
Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis (2) during a regular season matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens.
Malik Willis and Kyler Murray are two names who immediately come to mind for many fans and pundits. Willis is set to be a free agent this offseason, but has not played much in his young career thus far. He was lackluster with the Tennessee Titans before being traded to the Green Bay Packers. With the Packers, Willis may have revived his career.
Murray on the other hand, has battled injuries the last few seasons. He has had four consecutive losing seasons while putting up pedestrian numbers. He led the Arizona Cardinals to the playoffs however, in 2021. He is also a former Offensive Rookie of the Year winner. The talent is there.
Chris Mueller of 93.7 The Fan discussed whether Murray and Willis could be the next Darnold. With Murray's playoff season and Willis' willingness to be coached, he believes these two have the best shot among the quarterbacks available this offseason the Steelers should keep an eye on.
"All of the physical stuff is there, other than you know, he's 5'9" 1/2. But he's got a great arm. He can make every throw in the book, and he can run," Mueller said regarding Murray. "He's shown in NFL games he has the arm to make big-time throws, and we know he's got the wheels to run away from people," Mueller said about Willis.
Murray has had off-the-field issues in the past and has responded to his negative narrative. The Cardinals originally had a four-hour study clause in his contract and eventually removed this clause as it caused too much of a distraction. Murray signed a five-year, $230,500,000 extension in 2023 and is still on that deal. The Steelers would likely have to eat most of it if they acquired him.
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Cardinals QB Kyler Murray looks on during a home game in Arizona.
Willis is the cheaper and easier option. He is likely not on the Steelers' radar, but he may be their best chance as the next Darnold. Willis comes from the Matt LaFleur system, which is great for quarterbacks. Aaron Rodgers, who is still on the table this season, won two straight MVPs and had some of his best seasons under LaFleur. Willis will be cheap for quarterback standards due to his small sample size, but he may be worth the risk.
Steelers Ought To Roll The Dice With Willis Or Murray
The Steelers' reported plan is to bring Rodgers back for the 2026 season. They are in no hurry to sign him though. Rodgers didn't sign with the Steelers last season till June, but pundits say his decision this time around should be much quicker. Willis and Murray are both younger options that have more long-term upside. Rodgers will likely keep the Steelers afloat, just like in 2025, but they won't be considered contenders with him at the helm again.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers prepares to throw downfield during the 2025 NFL season.
The Steelers now have a quarterback guru in Mike McCarthy as their head coach. He needs to try with a new face. If the experiment works out, fantastic. The Steelers would have a potential long-term answer. If Willis or Murray gets them four or five wins, there's a pretty good class of quarterbacks in 2027.
What do you think? Should the Steelers roll the dice on Willis or Murray? Should they look to bring Rodgers back? Let us know in the comments below.
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