It’s easy to despair as a Cincinnati Bengals fan these days, but at the end of the day, at least for one more season before his patience runs out, Who Dey Nation has Joe Burrow to root for.

Burrow has had his season cut short twice in the last three years due to significant injuries. He had an MVP-caliber 2024 campaign squandered by a terrible defense. Perhaps 2026 is when everything comes together for the Bengals to bounce back and return to the playoffs.

The silver lining to Cincinnati’s 6-11 record this past season is owning the 10th overall pick and higher draft status than most years. Meanwhile, two AFC North enemies are scrambling to find an answer at Burrow’s position, and a newly minted three-round mock draft highlights just how dire their quests appear to be.

Steelers & Browns chuck Hail Marys to address QB in 3-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft

FanSided.com’s Cody Williams dropped a three-round mock draft that underscores how great it is for Cincinnati to have Burrow under center, in spite of all the injuries over the years.

Williams has the Browns drafting Miami (Florida) QB Carson Beck with the 70th overall pick in Round 3, and has the Steelers taking a flier on LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier three picks later at No. 73. We’ll start with Williams’ write-up on Beck:

“For Beck, it’s a reunion with he and new Browns head coach Todd Monken, who was the offensive coordinator at Georgia at the start of Beck’s college career. While Beck may not be a marvel of a talent, he’s adequate across the board. The familiarity with Monken and the Browns staff could make him a viable Day 2 option to come in to compete with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job — and I might project Beck to win that battle as of right now.”

Carson Beck comes across as just kind of a tool, does he not? For a guy with a nice 6’4″ frame, adequate arm talent, gaudy stats, and a lot of big-time wins in college, why is he not more of a top draft prospect, especially in such a weak QB class?

Feels like there’s something “off” about dude’s personality. Doesn’t exactly strike me as a QB the locker room rallies around.

I’m pretty inclined to trust the pro player comparisons of NFL.com expert Lance Zierlein. He likens Beck most to a past Steelers first-round pick, Kenny Pickett. Not the guy you want to be compared to there, Carson!

How hilarious would it be if Beck winds up being the Browns’ savior, balls out in his reunion with Monken, and delivers a Lombardi Trophy to Cleveland? All the while with “Carson” as his forename to rub it in Bengals fans’ faces even more (this is a Carson Palmer allusion).

Anyway, congrats to all the Browns loyalists out there. Sounds like you have a QB camp derby starring Carson Beck, Deshaun Watson and deserving Pro Bowler Shedeur Sanders to look forward to if this comes to pass! Sounds like a blast! Quite the trio of colossal egos in that lot, too!

Just kidding that’d be terrible. Also bringing it up and shrugging it off in one stride without knocking on wood, because the Browns are an even more accursed, dysfunctional franchise than the Bengals.

Veering our way back to the Steelers, though. In the mock draft, Mr. Cody Williams has them drafting someone from Burrow’s college lineage in LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier. Here’s the rationale for that pick:

“There have already been reports that they like Nussmeier, and we still don’t have full-blown clarity on what will happen next with Aaron Rodgers’ career. Will Howard, to me, isn’t the answer, but at the very least, Pittsburgh would do well to bring in competition for the young backup, and Nussmeier has high-end tools that could pay huge dividends for the Steelers if they hit on the LSU signal-caller.”

I like Nussmeier a great deal more than Beck as a prospect. He doesn’t have the same build, but the arm strength and upside, to me, aren’t close. Nussmeier holds the edge in those areas over Beck by a long shot.

That can be true, and it can be true that Nussmeier isn’t NFL starter material. He’s only listed at 6’1″, 202 pounds ahead of the Combine. I’m betting he’ll pack on some pounds Bryce Young-style to fill out his frame in Indy.

I’ll just cackle forever if it’s between Nussmeier, Will Howard, and 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers for Pittsburgh’s starting QB job in 2026 under new head coach Mike “Meh” McCarthy.

Good luck, Yinzers! Us Who Dey Heads will be over here enjoying Joe Burrow, and with the slightest modicum of luck, he’ll be healthy for once!

I’m smelling second place at worst for the Bengals in the AFC North this coming season. Anyone else feel me?