Steelers Could Reach For Underwhelming Quarterback Due To Troubling NFL Trend

The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone through the same song and dance for the last handful of years: trying to figure out who their starting quarterback will be for right now and for the future. Eventually, they are going to have to go all in on a high-upside passer. Even though they're expected to roll with Aaron Rodgers for another year, they can't keep relying on veteran bridge options until someone younger falls into their lap. General Manager Omar Khan and his staff need to start being proactive in this until they find the right guy. 

Unfortunately, the 2026 quarterback class seems to be one of the weakest ones ever. It's hard to be super proactive in this class, and if they are, they could end up reaching for a backup option. This is an incredibly difficult task for Khan to find a possible starting caliber guy without just wasting a quality pick. This is truly quarterback purgatory for Pittsburgh.

On top of that, insider Mike DeFabo made a note on his draft big board that could result in Pittsburgh selecting a signal-caller earlier than they may want to.

"[Carson] Beck met with the Steelers at the [NFL] Combine and came to Pittsburgh for a pre-draft visit," DeFabo said. "He has more value on Day 3, but it’s worth noting that typically teams have to draft QBs a round or two earlier than they’d like. The end of Round 3 or early Round 4 might be where he falls."

DeFabo had quarterback Carson Beck pegged as a potential Round 3 option for the Steelers, but the main reason for that was the trend he mentioned. NFL teams usually end up taking a quarterback much earlier than they want to because of the fear of someone else grabbing him. Of course, it's the most valued position in football, and maybe all of sports.

In this case, Beck seems like a very high-floor, low-ceiling kind of quarterback, which would plant him in the area of low-end starter and high-end backup. However, the Steelers may believe that his experience can play well in a league full of failed prospects and projects. It's unclear exactly how much they like the former National Champion, but if they see him as a fourth-round talent, they could use a third-round pick on him to be safe. 

The Steelers have shown interest in Beck, and there's a report that they do love him even more than Will Howard, whom they have praised endlessly. However, this is the part of the offseason where it's hard to separate fact from fiction. Pittsburgh has been a team that has historically thrived on veteran talents more than young, raw projects. That could easily influence them to grab an older passer like Beck. 

There are many teams that need a quarterback, and only one option seems to be truly promising in this 2026 class: Fernando Mendoza. In a situation like this, it all depends on how the draft falls. If three or more quarterbacks get selected in the first two rounds, the Steelers may be more inclined to take Beck in the third round. If it's like 2022 where only one passer got selected in the first 70+ picks, they could wait until Round 5.

Steelers May Need To Take A Risk

At this point, the Steelers might just want to bite the bullet and grab Beck with one of their many third-round choices. Some may say that doing so is a bad plan, and they may not be wrong. On the other hand, a bad plan is better than no plan at all. Rodgers will not play forever. Even with Howard, it doesn't make sense to put every resource into him as a former sixth-rounder. There needs to be more options and competition for the future of the position.

What do you think about the Steelers possibly reaching for a quarterback like Beck? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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