It's never a surprise to hear reports that NFL teams expect to move on from overpriced, underperforming players ahead of free agency. Sometimes this even means cutting loose a number one overall pick quarterback in the prime of his career. It just so happens that the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for an answer at quarterback for the 2026 season.
The Arizona Cardinals are expected to release quarterback Kyler Murray. Murray, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, made the Pro Bowl twice in his first three NFL seasons. Unfortunately, his performance has been all over the place since 2022.
While Steelers fans won't exactly be lining up for their team to snatch Murray away from the competition in free agency, his latest projected price tag makes a potential Pittsburgh signing much more palatable... and dare I say intriguing even.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently explained why Murray could be in line to sign a one-year, $1.3 million deal with his next team. If this seems dirt cheap for a starting QB, that's because it is.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could sign QB Kyler Murray at a discount price
Florio explained that, because the Cardinals will already be paying Murray $36.8 million not to be on their team for the 2026 season, Murray could be had for a one-year, prove-himself deal—almost identical to the one-year, $1.2 million deal veteran QB Russell Wilson signed with the Steelers after being cut loose by the Denver Broncos during the 2024 offseason.
But why would Murray agree to a veteran minimum contract when plenty of teams need quarterbacks?
It's a fair question. And the answer is that there's no guarantee he will. However, if the market is small for Murray, he might not have a choice (if he wants to be a starting quarterback in 2026). With a bounce-back year on a new team, the 28-year-old QB has a chance to catch another big payday, so getting his next landing spot right is essential.
At this possible price tag, we can't rule out Pittsburgh as a possible landing spot.
If the Steelers can sign Murray under Florio's outlined scenario of $1.3 million for the 2026 season, the starting QB would have a lower cap number than 27 players currently on Pittsburgh's roster, including long snapper Christian Kuntz.
With the colossal cap savings at the quarterback position that could have otherwise been spent on a pricier signal-caller this offseason, the Steelers would have more flexibility to improve the rest of their roster in free agency.
There might not be a team in the league that still believes in Kyler Murray as a 'franchise' quarterback at this stage of his career, and with the injuries and struggles he's shown in recent seasons. But if the Pittsburgh Steelers can land a starting-level quarterback on a veteran minimum contract to be their bridge QB in 2026, it might be worth a gamble.