The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again searching for a quarterback in the 2026 offseason. While Aaron Rodgers could return and be their starting signal-caller again this year, if he decides to retire or simply wants to play somewhere else, what will the Steelers do then?
Steelers fans probably won't be jazzed about Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report's idea. Ballentine proposed a trade that would involve Pittsburgh trading a third-round pick in 2026 and a 2027 conditional fourth-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for Kyler Murray.
"The weak quarterback class could have the Steelers looking to take a big swing on Kyler Murray, one of the few veteran quarterbacks who could be available."
"Assuming Rodgers retires, Murray might be the best veteran quarterback available on the trade market. A trade in which they give up a Day 2 pick this year and a conditional pick that appreciates if Murray stays healthy could land them their next veteran quarterback."
Pittsburgh Steelers trading for Kyler Murray would signal quarterback panic
No disrespect to Murray, but this is not a move the Steelers should look to make, even if Rodgers doesn't return and they're desperate. Murray not only underwhelmed in recent years in Arizona, but he also carries roughly $38 million in guaranteed money in 2026. That, on top of the picks Pittsburgh would have to trade to land him, just isn't a move that makes sense for this team.
Murray was the first overall pick by the Cardinals in the 2019 draft, and it made sense for him to be taken there at the time. He was fresh off an impressive campaign at Oklahoma that led to him winning the Heisman Trophy. Initially, he looked to be franchise quarterback-worthy for the Cardinals.
This past year, however, Murray played in just five games and then was shut down after sustaining a lingering foot injury. There was some speculation that it wasn't just the foot injury keeping Murray on the sidelines and that his performance in those early-season games was a factor in why he wasn't playing. Does that sound like someone the Steelers want on their team?
The Steelers haven't been in a position to draft a quarterback in recent years due to not having a losing record, and that won't change this year. Even if they had a higher draft pick, there aren't many quarterbacks worth taking in the first round, which is why Murray's even an option here.
This will all come down to Rodgers and what he decides to do. If he wants to come back, he'll be the starting quarterback in Pittsburgh in 2026. If he doesn't, fans are hoping Ballentine's trade proposal doesn't end up happening.
Mike McCarthy has proven that he can develop quarterbacks, so maybe the plan should be to draft a signal-caller and hope that McCarthy can work his magic on whoever that quarterback ends up being. Murray isn't an awful quarterback by any means, but he's not going to be the solution to Pittsburgh's lingering quarterback issue.