Draft Insider: Watch Steelers For A Trade Back In First Round With 1 Top Target

The Pittsburgh Steelers hold plenty of draft capital in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. While the steelers still await a decision from quarterback Aaron Rodgers regarding his future, they will most likely avoid making a mistake they did several years back. While there has been some speculation the team could draft University of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, it is believed that the organization has learned from their experience when they drafted Kenny Pickett. However, NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah mentioned Monday on his Move the Sticks podcast that the team could select Simpson in one specific scenario in order to avoid repeating the mistake made in 2022.

In his two seasons with the Black and Gold, Pickett put up just 13 touchdowns. While he was praised a bit for his ability to keep the team in games and lead fourth quarter drives that turned into game-winners, the team decided to move on from their 2022 first-round pick following the 2023 season. It is this haunted past for the organization that led to Jeremiah's comments on Monday about the familiar situation the team sits in with the potential of taking Simpson.

"I just think that the ghost of Kenny Pickett will probably scare 'em off of that," Jeremiah said. "I just think the limiting starts there would be a little bit worrisome. And I think they do like Will Howard there; I know they took him later [in the 2025 NFL Draft]. I would be surprised if they pulled that there. Maybe in a trade-back scenario, I could see it."

While the team has some important positions to fill, such as offensive guard and wide receiver, the trade-back scenario could work if the team feels the need to bring in another quarterback. With Rodgers' decision expected to be quicker in the 2026 offseason compared to 2025, it has now started to drag on yet again, just like it did last year. Should the front office of Pittsburgh feel things are trending towards Rodgers not returning, then they could potentially make the move of a trade-back pick of Simpson.

With General Manager Omar Khan having 12 overall picks at his disposal next month, including three in the third round, the organization has plenty of flexibility leading up to this year's draft. This is probably what triggered the idea in Jeremiah's comments of trading back for Simpson in the first place. Pittsburgh definitely does not want to make another underwhelming selection and have to re-live ghosts of draft's past.

Steelers Must Identify Similarities Between Pickett And Simpson

Pickett did not meet up to the high expectations the organization put on him by selecting him in the first round out of the University of Pittsburgh. While Pickett showed some flashes during the end of his time in college, Simpson is very similar in that he did not find himself starting much until the later part of his collegiate career. 

Another factor to consider in the team trading back to get Simpson is the team has not truly seen what they could have in last year's sixth-round pick, Will Howard. Howard, unlike both Simpson and Pickett, saw plenty of starting time in his career at the Ohio State University. Howard's final collegiate season brought the Buckeyes a National Championship to Columbus.

Pickett, who Pittsburgh had high hopes for when selecting him in 2022, has turned into a journeyman quarterback in the NFL. He has bounced around, including time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and was recently signed by the Carolina Panthers. While Jeremiah's idea is not crazy and would include far less risk, the Black and Gold have bigger fish to fry in the draft and would be best suited to not take a chance on a guy that profiles as someone that could turn into a journeyman quarterback like Pickett has.

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