Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is playing the last year of his NFL career in the 2026 season, so if nothing else, the Steelers absolutely know that someone else will be under center in 2027 and beyond.
In an ideal world, one of Will Howard or Drew Allar is able to develop enough to actually earn that starting job, as finding a long-term quarterback in this league has never been more important, but as we have seen with the franchise, the Steelers are typically looking for quicker solutions.
Well, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is in the final year of his current deal with the team, and talks of an extension have totally stalled out.
With that in mind, could Mayfield emerge as a logical long-term option for the Steelers after Rodgers retires?
The Pittsburgh Steelers could pursue QB Baker Mayfield next offseason
Here is the latest on Mayfield's situation from Jeremy Fowler and Jenna Laine of ESPN:
"Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is reporting to training camp without a new deal and will play out the final year of his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
Mayfield and the Bucs have been engaged in contract talks for several months, with sources telling ESPN that no real progress had been made toward a new deal as of Tuesday. Mayfield had previously said he wanted an agreement in place before the start of camp or he would discontinue talks to focus on football.
Sources close to the situation told ESPN that Mayfield is looking for a deal that reflects his performance and is more in line with what quarterbacks of a similar caliber are making. He is also unfazed by the potential of being franchise-tagged in 2027, sources added."
Mayfield himself used the word 'disrespected' as well, so it's clear that he was not and is not pleased with the contract negotiations. Sure, the Buccaneers could simply put the franchise tag on him following the season, but if the Buccaneers endure another non-playoff year, or a year where the ceiling isn't anything special, a bit of a rebuild could take place.
Point-blank, Mayfield is slated to be a free agent in 2027, and until that changes, he could be on the Steelers' radar. The front office has developed a reputation at the quarterback position for seeking out Band-Aid solutions, and it simply has not worked out.
Since this has now been a years-long trend, there isn't anything to make you believe that it won't happen in 2027, but the thing that could stick out with Mayfield is that he'd be the best quarterback the Steelers would have in this post-Ben Roethlisberger era.
While not an overly talented quarterback, Mayfield has amassed a modest 27-24 record with the Buccaneers across the 2023-2025 seasons. During that time, he's thrown for 95 touchdowns against 37 interceptions, earning a very solid 97.4 passer rating.
Mayfield, on his normal days, is probably the 14th-best quarterback in the NFL, and he is now set to play in his age-31 season. He'd turn 32 years old next April, so the Steelers would still be getting a young-ish quarterback.
As a player, Mayfield does possess that edge to him that endears him to teammates. He's also played (and won) in the AFC North before with the Cleveland Browns, so the division would not be anything new to him.
Furthermore, he's played quite well with the Buccaneers and has clearly been able to figure things out since essentially being thrown away by the Browns years ago. The Steelers might not win a Super Bowl with Mayfield as their quarterback, and it's far from a guarantee that this would even happen, but in an era where the team is searching for quick fixes to field a winning team, Mayfield feels like a perfect match.
Right now, he is playing in the final year of a three-year deal with the Buccaneers. It's paying him $33.33 million per year, and with the NFL salary cap increasing just about every year, the Steelers would likely have to sniff that $50 million per year range to get Mayfield in the Black and Gold.
But after years of quarterback questions, Mayfield could at least provide a years-long solution.
Add us as a preferred source on Google