The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again in the market for a quarterback this offseason. Maybe they end up reuniting with Aaron Rodgers but, even if they do, drafting a signal-caller will likely be on the agenda.
Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. thinks he knows just the quarterback that the Steelers should draft. Kiper stated on the First Draft podcast that Simpson makes a lot of sense for Pittsburgh as its next potential franchise quarterback.
"I think Pittsburgh with [Mike] McCarthy coming in is gonna be really interesting," Kiper said. "It depends on what you see with Ty Simpson. If you watched him up until mid-October, 21 touchdowns, only one interception over the first nine games.
Then he has that seven-game period where he had five fumbles lost. Last six games, seven touchdowns, but four interceptions. But if you looked at him over those first nine games, getting the ball out, he was letting it rip. There's a lot to like."
Kiper then proceeded to discuss how Simpson doesn't have a ton of experience, starting just 15 games in college. Even with that being the case, Kiper likes the idea of pairing the 23-year-old signal-caller from Alabama with McCarthy, who has a reputation for developing quarterbacks.
Mel Kiper Jr. says Ty Simpson makes sense for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Simpson spent four years at Alabama but didn't take over the reins as the starter until the 2025 season. He threw for 28 touchdowns and five picks in 15 starts, and, as Kiper noted, started hot out of the gates before cooling off considerably down the stretch.
Kiper said that he thinks Simpson could be a top 10-15 pick and could realistically be on the board at 21 when Pittsburgh is on the clock. If he's there, would the Steelers spend their first draft pick of the Mike McCarthy era on the Crimson Tide quarterback?
This is something the Steelers are going to have to figure out between now and draft night. Does McCarthy think he can work his magic on Simpson and make him the Steelers' next franchise quarterback? Or will they spend that first-round pick on another position and try and add a quarterback later on?
The draft is two months away so the Steelers have plenty of time decide how they feel about Simpson as a potential draft pick and future face of the franchise.