The future for the Pittsburgh Steelers at the quarterback position could very well be either Will Howard or Drew Allar. No one is quite sure which player will end up winning the starting job one day, but the presence of Aaron Rodgers in 2026 will make the 2027 NFL Draft very interesting. If the two young signal-callers don't get a chance to play, then the organization might feel obligated to take a top-notch quarterback in the first round. Then, there are always other avenues to bringing in potential starters. One of which is the potential for a supplemental draft that typically takes place in July.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers quarterback Drew Allar walks on the practice field with a smile on his face as he goes through drills as the team's rookie minicamp being held in Pittsburgh, PA.
The supplemental draft is rather rare, as a player has not been selected in it since 2019. There is a little more hype in 2026, however, due to the fact that Brendan Sorsby might be filing for it come June. The Cincinnati Bearcats standout has recently been going through treatment for a gambling addiction, and the NCAA has looked into when he was wagering money on sports.
College athletics has set a pretty strong standard when it comes to this stuff, so it's unlikely that the quarterback will win the injunction that was filed which would allow him to play in 2026. According to CBS Sports, he has asked for the big decision to be made by June 15th, so he can then apply for the NFL's supplemental draft by the June 22nd deadline.
Even if this does all end up coming to fruition and the signal-caller is up for grabs, the Steelers' interest will likely be minimal. Sorsby has a ton of talent, but the quarterback room is full and has two younger players getting acclimated. When Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was asked about the team's possible desire to explore taking Sorsby, the beat writer shut it down rather quickly.
"I don't anticipate that at all," Fittipaldo stated.
Any team that would theoretically take Sorsby in the rare supplemental draft would most likely have to forfeit its first- or second-round pick for 2027. That probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense when the class of quarterbacks in 2027 is expected to be stout. Crazier things have happened, but the Steelers don't really seem like a team that would be willing to move on from Howard and/or Allar to take a risk on someone like Sorsby.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers quarterback Will Howard gets ready to unleash a pass as he runs through a drill as the team works out during the annual Friday Night Lights practice in Latrobe, PA.
Fans in the Steel City should continue to get used to the quarterback discussions surrounding the franchise. The position has been a headache for the organization dating back to Ben Roethlisberger's retirement. Now that Mike McCarthy is in town and has both Howard and Allar to develop, bringing in a questionable prospect with an off-the-field situation doesn't seem wise by any means. It would hold the Steelers back from other important initiatives on offense.
Pittsburgh bringing in a third signal-caller with no professional experience isn't something that would make sense. McCarthy will continue to rely on Rodgers to run the offense, while working with the younger duo in the meantime. If, for some reason, neither impress the coaching staff, there should be plenty of opportunities to find the potential future starter come April of 2027. There are a lot of moving pieces; however, Sorsby does not appear to be a part of the plans whatsoever.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' new head coach Mike McCarthy smiles as he addresses the media during his introductory press conference that took place at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers Will Remain Focused On Finding Their Future Long-Term Starter
It could be Allar. It could be Howard. It could be someone who is not currently on the roster. It's impossible to know what Pittsburgh will do for the next decade at the most important position in all of sports.
One thing is for sure, though, and it's the fact that the 2025 and 2026 draftees are both going to have their chances to prove what they are capable of. Hindering any development by selecting Sorsby in the theoretical supplemental draft is not something that will be considered.
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