Even without a known long-term answer at quarterback, the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t draft a quarterback simply to check a box. Asked if the Steelers are destined to use one of their dozen draft picks on a passer, GM Omar Khan said he doesn’t feel obligated to address the position.
“Specific to that position in the draft, we’re evaluating everything,” Khan told NFL Network’s Judy Battista in an interview that aired on The Insiders Tuesday. “But no, we’re not going into this saying, we have to take a quarterback.”
Which is good news. Because the 2026 NFL Draft doesn’t offer much in the way of options. It’s one of the weakest quarterback classes in recent memory, with potentially just one first-round passer selected, inevitable No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is the only other player with a chance. Opinions on him vary wildly.
The 2026 group is the worst since 2022. Pittsburgh took the first and only quarterback of the top round, selecting Pitt’s QB Kenny Pickett. It proved to be the wrong decision and felt like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Outgoing GM Kevin Colbert feeling compelled to leave the franchise with something at the position after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
To Khan and the Steelers’ credit, that lesson has seemingly been learned. Pittsburgh could’ve selected Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders in the ’25 draft when many draftniks expected him to go in the first round. Instead, the Steelers focused on building up their defensive line and made a better selection in DL Derrick Harmon. Pittsburgh took QB Will Howard in the sixth, arguably a better prospect than Sanders, and a player the team is high on despite not seeing him throw a pass inside a stadium last year.
Quarterback is a need. It’s the most important position in sports. But aimlessly drafting one just for the sake of doing so is a plan destined to fail. If there isn’t one worth taking, the Steelers are better off addressing other needs and waiting for the right opportunity to swing for the franchise’s next future arm.