Another NFL offseason is (basically) here and as has been the case for the last few years, there are questions about what Aaron Rodgers will do. Retirement can't be too far away for one of the best quarterbacks in league history, but the Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to hire Rodgers' former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy might sway Rodgers to give it one more go.
What does it mean if Rodgers sticks around? The Steelers would no longer be in the quarterback market, for one, but that's a pretty obvious conclusion to draw. How exactly would the quarterback market in general shift if Pittsburgh is no longer looking for immediate help? And would the Steelers approach the NFL Draft differently as well? Let's try to make sense of the ripple effects.
The Malik Willis market loses an important suitor
The Malik Willis that we saw play in Green Bay should be an NFL starter, but there aren't a ton of places that make sense for Willis to land. Pittsburgh honestly seemed like the best option, as the team had a roster built to win and a need for an immediate answer under center. But if Rodgers returns, would Willis be willing to spend a year on the bench, or would he look elsewhere to find a home?
The Jets could be the big winner here. The team has the fifth-most cap space in the NFL heading into this offseason and after Dante Moore's decision to return to Oregon took him off the board for the team, it doesn't have anyone on the roster that it can really go into 2026 with as the starter. Going back to Justin Fields can't be the answer, and sticking with Brady Cook would be the team announcing ahead of time that it doesn't care about competing in 2026.
Willis doesn't get the benefit of landing with a team that will be immediately competitive, but he would have a clear path to the starting job. Plus, this might be a hot take, but I actually don't think the Jets are in that bad of shape long term. They've certainly been in worse spots before, and adding Willis has the potential to really shift the team's direction.
A Kyler Murray trade becomes less likely
The Cardinals want to move on from Kyler Murray, but finding a trade partner who has the space for Murray won't be easy. The Steelers really felt like they could be a solid spot for him, or that by signing someone like Willis, the team would take a quarterback option away from another franchise who would, in turn, make a desperation trade for Murray.
But if what I've said so far comes true and the Steelers and Jets both find their 2026 quarterback options without turning to the trade market, where does that leave Murray?
I suppose the Dolphins could be in play, but that would require them to unload Tua Tagovailoa. Beyond that, it's what...maybe the Falcons, if Kevin Stefanski decides he wants a veteran quarterback to make a run at the NFC South in 2026?
Ty Simpson heads to Cleveland
Moore's decision to return to college made this into essentially a mirror image of last year's draft. You have one top quarterback who is going to go No. 1 overall, and then you have zero other guys with a chance to go in the top 10. The second-best quarterback in this class will likely be drafted in the latter half of the first round, just like Jaxson Dart was last season.
That quarterback is Ty Simpson, and a lot of people have connected him to the Steelers at pick 21. It makes sense, as the team needs a long-term answer at the most important position in football, but is that really the move that a franchise that just hired McCarthy and would be bringing back Rodgers would make? The Steelers are treating 2026 like a team in win-now mode.
The Browns are well positioned to jump on Simpson if the Steelers pass. The team picks 24th, with the Chargers and Eagles between it and Pittsburgh. I know new Browns head coach Todd Monken expressed enthusiasm about working with Shedeur Sanders, but...come on. Sanders, as well as the team's other 2025 rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, don't look like long-term options.
Completion Percentage | Touchdowns | Interceptions | |
|---|---|---|---|
Shedeur Sanders | 56.6 | 7 | 10 |
Dillon Gabriel | 59.5 | 7 | 2 |
Is Simpson? That remains to be seen. He was being discussed as a potential early first-rounder for much of the college season, but a disastrous end to the year killed his draft stock. He probably needs to land somewhere with a strong support system if he's going to succeed, and the Steelers could have been that place. The Browns? Not so much, but it's hard to see Cleveland passing on him if he's there. Not great for Simpson's career, but it is what it is.
The Steelers draft a first-round wide receiver
The Steelers aren't taking Simpson, so who are they drafting? Well, let's say that this might finally be the year that Rodgers gets a first-round receiver.
Getting one of the top three receivers in this class might be out of the question without trading up. Most people seem to expect Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon to go in the top 15. However, there are still a few names on the board who would give the team immediate help at wideout. Two big ones: Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion.
Height | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Touchdowns | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Denzel Boston | 6'4'' | 62 | 881 | 11 |
KC Concepcion | 5'11'' | 61 | 919 | 9 |
With Metcalf on the outside already, I'd probably prioritize Concepcion, who could give the Steelers a dynamic slot option. Rodgers loves a good slot option, and that should be especially true at this stage of his NFL career as he loses more and more zip on his deep ball.