Skip to main content

Steelers could bypass Aaron Rodgers and Drew Allar for potential new QB target

It's a wildcard, but another QB could be entering the fold.
Aaron Rodgers QB Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers QB Pittsburgh Steelers | Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After selecting Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, many believe the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback room is largely set. With Aaron Rodgers expected to return, there has been little anticipation of another quarterback entering the picture. However, those expectations may have shifted after recent reports surfaced suggesting Brendan Sorsby could become available.

It is rare for a star quarterback to enter the supplemental draft, but it is not entirely unprecedented.

Sorsby is currently embroiled in a dispute with the NCAA after being accused of gambling, an activity that is strictly prohibited for athletes. If he fails to win his case, turning professional could become his only viable option. That scenario would make Sorsby an unexpected, last-minute possibility for the Steelers.

Speculation is beginning to intensify that Pittsburgh’s top decision makers may be growing weary of waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make a final call.

While all signs continue to suggest the future Hall of Famer will be the team’s starter this season, recent reports about Sorsby potentially becoming available introduce a wrinkle in those plans. If the Steelers are indeed tired of waiting on Rodgers, the star college quarterback could emerge as a fallback option that alters their approach.

Pittsburgh Steelers could draft Brendan Sorsby to jump ahead of Aaron Rodgers and Drew Allar

With Sorsby’s legal situation still unresolved, it remains unclear how everything will ultimately unfold. If he manages to overturn the allegations and retain his collegiate eligibility, he could remain a top-tier prospect for the Steelers to monitor in next year’s draft. The situation is expected to reach a tipping point, as he must decide whether to enter the NFL supplemental draft before the June 30 deadline.

Pittsburgh may have recently invested a high draft pick in Allar, but the possibility of the team pursuing Sorsby should not be dismissed if he ultimately decides to leave college football.

Aaron Rodgers remains very much in the Steelers’ plans, but that outlook was shaped before the emergence of a high-end talent like Sorsby potentially becoming available. With Mike McCarthy focused on identifying a long-term quarterback for the franchise, this prospect could fit that vision.

Many believe, including ESPN’s Adam Schefter, that if Sorsby were to declare for the supplemental draft, he would be selected. Doing so would break a recent trend, as no player has been taken through that process since 2019, when the Cardinals used a fifth-round pick on Jalen Thompson. A productive, high-ceiling quarterback like Sorsby would be hard to pass up, even with his circumstances.

Arm talent and experience have helped shape Sorsby into a legitimate developmental quarterback prospect.

While his mechanics still need refinement, he remains a raw talent with significant upside. McCarthy was brought in to develop young quarterbacks such as Will Howard and Drew Allar, and adding Sorsby to the mix would give him another project to mold, potentially shifting Aaron Rodgers out of the long-term equation.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations