The Pittsburgh Steelers are staring down yet another offseason of quarterback uncertainty, and once again, the future under center is anything but clear. Aaron Rodgers is still technically in the fold, but whether he returns for another run in 2026-or decides to hang it up or head elsewhere-remains the big domino that has yet to fall.
But let’s talk about the contingency plan that’s been floated: a potential trade for Kyler Murray.
According to a recent proposal, the Steelers could send a 2026 third-round pick and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2027 to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the former No. 1 overall pick. The logic? With a thin quarterback class in this year’s draft and not much in the way of proven veterans expected to hit the open market, Murray might be the best available option if Rodgers exits stage left.
On paper, it’s a bold swing. Murray is still just 28, has a Pro Bowl on his résumé, and flashed elite dual-threat ability early in his career. But the reality of what he brings now-and what it would cost to bring him in-makes this a far more complicated conversation for Pittsburgh.
Let’s start with the contract. Murray is set to earn around $38 million in guaranteed money in 2026.
That’s a hefty price tag for a player who hasn’t played a full season since 2021 and is coming off a year in which he appeared in just five games before being shut down with a lingering foot injury. The injury itself was concerning, but what raised more eyebrows was the speculation that the Cardinals’ decision to keep him sidelined had as much to do with performance as it did with health.
That’s not exactly the kind of situation that inspires confidence-especially for a franchise like Pittsburgh that prides itself on stability and long-term vision at the quarterback position.
Now, to be fair, Murray’s talent isn’t in question. He was electric at Oklahoma, won the Heisman, and was the consensus top pick in 2019 for a reason.
And early on in Arizona, he looked the part of a franchise quarterback. But the past couple of seasons have been rocky.
Injuries, inconsistency, and questions about leadership have all clouded his trajectory.
For the Steelers, the question becomes: is this the kind of quarterback you want to invest premium draft capital and significant salary cap space in-especially at a time when the team is trying to build a sustainable contender?
It’s also worth noting that Pittsburgh hasn’t had a losing season in years, which has kept them out of range for top-tier quarterback prospects in the draft. That won’t change this year.
And with this being a down year for quarterback talent overall, the options are limited. That’s part of what makes Murray even enter the conversation-he’s one of the few veterans potentially available who has starting-caliber experience and some upside left in the tank.
But upside only matters if it can be realized, and that’s far from a given at this point in Murray’s career.
If Rodgers does return, the Steelers will ride with him in 2026. That’s the cleanest path forward and likely the one the front office is hoping for.
But if he doesn’t? Then things get murky.
Do you take a swing on a polarizing veteran like Murray? Or do you trust Mike McCarthy-who’s shown he can develop quarterbacks-to work with a mid-round rookie or a lower-profile free agent and try to build from within?
That’s the crossroads Pittsburgh finds itself at.
Murray isn’t a bad quarterback. He’s got talent, mobility, and experience.
But he’s also an expensive, injury-prone gamble at a time when the Steelers need clarity, not questions. If Rodgers walks, the Steelers will have to make a move.
But whether that move should be for Murray? That’s a debate that’s just getting started.