Andrew Buller-Russ
Most would agree that there are just two starting quarterback jobs that remain wide open. One, resides with the Arizona Cardinals, who could turn back to Jacoby Brissett after a career year. The other is with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are expected to turn back to Aaron Rodgers for a second season, but that’s no guarantee.
Until and unless the four-time NFL MVP signs a new contract with the Steelers, Pittsburgh has no choice but to keep its eyes peeled, in hopes of discovering its next franchise QB. Heck, even if the 42-year-old quarterback does return to Pittsburgh, who’s to say the Steelers don’t want to find someone who can learn from the future Hall of Famer, and eventually, take over for him?
The Steelers may be busy doing just that while closely evaluating the batch of 2026 NFL Draft QB prospects. They already met with Drew Allar at the NFL Scouting Combine. More recently, the Steelers have set up another in-person visit with a different QB prospect set to be drafted in April.
This time, it’s a top-30 visit with Miami (FL) quarterback Carson Beck, who had once been looked upon as the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Steelers previously spoke with Beck at the combine too, but now they’ll bring him to Pittsburgh for a closer evaluation.
Beck is coming off a season where he set new career highs in passing yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. Beck capped off the year by leading the Hurricanes to a national championship appearance. However, his stock fell from that of a likely first-round pick after inconsistent performances, including in the CFP final, where he completed just 59.2% of his passes for 232 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
For now, the only quarterbacks on the Steelers’ roster are Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard, whom new head coach Mike McCarthy is apparently a big fan of. Even if Rodgers potentially returns to Pittsburgh, the Steelers will want to add at least one more QB to the roster, and it very well could end up being Beck.
The Steelers have 12 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, including No. 21. But Beck isn’t viewed as a first-round draft prospect. That could be why the Steelers are seeking more information on him, trying to get a feel for how aggressive they may need to be to land the 6-foot-5, 23-year-old QB.
Related: Waiting on Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers Considering New QB
