Steelers Are Named The Best Landing Spot For Top Quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers are now under new leadership with Head Coach Mike McCarthy, but the team still has some questions in some very important areas. The quarterback spot is up in the air for what feels like the 100th offseason in a row, and once again it is the organization awaiting a decision from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The fan base is fairly fed up with this saga at this point, although it is clear that he is the franchise's best option for the 2026 season. The Steelers also have some guys under contract for 2026, and drafting a quarterback is always on the table.

The quarterback class in the upcoming NFL Draft is not considered to be strong. The only player at the position that seems to be a lock to go in the first round is Fernando Mendoza, and he is likely going to be the number one overall pick. The only other quarterback mentioned in that conversation has been Ty Simpson, but there is certainly a chance that he can slide down the board a little bit. He has been mocked to the Steelers with the 21st overall pick a good amount, but it has been hard to gauge the organization's interest. ESPN analyst Ben Solak recently discussed how Simpson would be a great fit in McCarthy's offense during an appearance on the Domonique Foxworth Show.

"I don't like all the go-to Ty Simpson landing spots," Solak said. "When I look for ones that make sense, I think he's a hand-in-glove fit for what Mike McCarthy likes to do. In terms of, wanting to be four-wide, wanting to be able to spread the field out a little bit, wanting to be able to package plays, pre-snap communication, Simpson, by all accounts, is a coach's son through and through. He's awesome at the line of scrimmage moving stuff around. Does he have an enormous arm? No, but he certainly has a sufficient arm to work half of the field, throw short to intermediate. He's got a fast release. He's gonna allow you to be very traditional West Coast there."

The go-to landing spots for Simpson that Solak is likely referencing are the teams like the New York Jets or the Cleveland Browns. Two teams that have been near the bottom of the NFL forever that need to find a franchise quarterback. Both of those franchises also have multiple first-round selections, so Simpson is certainly a possibility in either of those spots.

The Jets and Browns are logical landing spots for Simpson, but so could a team like the Los Angeles Rams. The franchise needs to start preparing for the retirement of quarterback Matthew Stafford, and the Rams also have two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Steelers sit at pick No. 21, which is after the Browns and Rams each pick once, and the Jets pick twice. There is also a chance the Browns or Rams could leapfrog the Steelers to pick up Simpson. The Steelers selecting Simpson would make sense based off of what has been said by Solak, as the former Alabama quarterback could be a great fit with McCarthy.

Steelers Should Not Want To Start Ty Simpson Right Away

There are a few concerns regarding Simpson, but most notably is his lack of experience. He was the starter at Alabama for just one season, and he looked great at certain points. However, he did not end the year on a high note. If he is drafted high, whichever team selects him should be preparing to sit him for a year. That could be the perfect scenario for the Steelers in a room that could potentially have Rodgers as the starter.

What do you think about the Steelers drafting Simpson? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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