5 Ways Steelers Can Address QB Position if Aaron Rodgers Retires

For consecutive offseasons, Aaron Rodgers will have an impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback situation. If he retires, the club must have a contingency plan in place to maximize its passing game with wide receivers DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.

Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II expects Rodgers to make a decision before the upcoming draft, which is just two weeks away on April 23. The 42-year-old has earned the time to make a call on his short-term future.

Last season, the four-time NFL MVP helped lead the Steelers to the playoffs, throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 65.7 percent completion rate in 16 games. 

As the clock ticks on Rodgers' decision, Pittsburgh can line up its alternatives.

The Steelers can pivot to a handful of options via free agency, trade or the draft to bolster their quarterback room. Let's explore five ways the team can move on from Rodgers if necessary.

Trade for 49ers Backup Mac Jones

AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones

This is a costly option given the need to give up assets for a non-full-time starter. 

The Steelers can meet the San Francisco 49ers' steep asking price for Mac Jones. The Athletic's Jeff Howe believes the 49ers could demand a first-round pick for their backup signal-caller, who went 5-3 as a fill-in starter last season.

San Francisco likely sees Jones as a valuable asset after his solid performances in place of Brock Purdy, who battled injuries in the previous campaign, but a first-round pick for a player who would be on his third team in three years is unreasonable. 

The Steelers may be able to acquire Jones with a second-round pick, which wouldn't be a huge loss with their three third-rounders. 

Based on Jones' recent production, he would be an upgrade over ninth-year veteran Mason Rudolph and second-year pro Will Howard, who's yet to start in a game.

As a rookie in 2021, Jones made the AFC Pro Bowl roster with the New England Patriots. He also has three times as many career starts (57) as Rudolph.

New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has a strong track record with quarterbacks, particularly in the early development of Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott in his prime. He could help Jones have a Sam Darnold-like career turnaround in Pittsburgh.

Trade for Vikings Backup J.J. McCarthy

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy

The Steelers can consider J.J. McCarthy as a reclamation project who could earn the lead role over Mason Rudolph and Will Howard in an open competition. 

Like Mac Jones, McCarthy went in the top half of the first round in his draft class and may need to find the right spot to realize his full potential. 

This offseason, the Minnesota Vikings shook up their quarterback depth chart, signing Kyler Murray, who's expected to take over the starting job.

Although the Vikings only signed Murray to a one-year deal, his arrival in Minnesota clouds McCarthy's short-term outlook.

Even though former Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah selected McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 draft, interim GM Rob Brzezinski may be willing to trade him for a middle-round pick with a new lead signal-caller on the roster.

McCarthy has had a rough career start. He suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2024 campaign. In his first full year as a starter, he threw for 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with an abysmal 57.6 percent completion rate.

Still in the early stages of development, McCarthy has plenty of room to grow, but Minnesota has a playoff-caliber roster. Based on the Vikings' decision to sign Murray, they're going into 2026 with a win-now approach. Keep in mind that the former Arizona Cardinals quarterback is still in his prime at 28 years old.

Regardless of Rodgers' decision, the Steelers should be interested in adding young quarterback talent. In this scenario, they can do that at a modest cost.

A Reunion, Sign Russell Wilson

AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.

Quarterback Russell Wilson

This isn't the most appealing option for the Steelers, yet this signing makes sense if Russell Wilson can inject a spark into their offense as he did in the middle of the 2024 campaign.

Two years ago, Pittsburgh benched Justin Fields for Wilson, who went 6-1 as the starter, though the team still suffered a late-season collapse.

Steelers fans would likely prefer a potential starter with more upside than Wilson, who turns 38 in November, but he's a safe option if the team doesn't want to give up draft capital for younger signal-callers like Mac Jones and J.J. McCarthy.

Last season with the New York Giants, Wilson lost the starting job to then-rookie Jaxson Dart, who took over in Week 4. The veteran signal-caller revealed that he tore his hamstring before throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.

In a short stint, Wilson had a strong performance under a coaching staff that the Giants fired by the end of the 2025 season. So, he may be able to get the Steelers back to the playoffs under head coach Mike McCarthy.

Draft Ty Simpson in the 1st Round

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Pittsburgh holds the 21st overall pick in the upcoming draft, which may be in the range teams consider taking Ty Simpson.

ESPN's Adam Schefter feels confident that Simpson will be a first-round pick. 

Schefter's colleague, Dan Orlovsky, believes Simpson is the best quarterback in this year's class. The Ringer's Todd McShay doesn't see a wide gap between presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and the Alabama product. 

Perhaps the Steelers have a similar assessment of Simpson and see him as a potential franchise quarterback. If so, Pittsburgh would be a prime landing spot for him with or without Aaron Rodgers on the roster.

If Rodgers isn't back for another year, Simpson would have a chance to win the starting job. Rudolph can provide solid competition while Will Howard develops through his second pro offseason.

With only 15 starts on his collegiate resume, Simpson isn't a slam dunk to start in his rookie year, but his upside is intriguing. Bleacher Report scout Damian Parson compared him to former Dallas Cowboys four-time Pro Bowler Tony Romo.

Draft Carson Beck in the 3rd Round

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Miami quarterback Carson Beck

The Steelers may address other roster needs with their first-round pick or take the best prospect available regardless of position. If so, they can still take a swing at a developmental quarterback to be Aaron Rodgers' replacement.

ESPN's Brooke Pryor suggested they might be interested in a signal-caller after Day 1 of the draft and highlighted Carson Beck as an option. She mentioned that the Steelers hosted him for a top-30 predraft visit on March 17.

Beck started through three collegiate terms, two at Georgia and one at Miami. In 2023, he led the SEC with 3,914 passing yards and finished with the highest completion rate (72.4 percent) in the ACC last year.

With Beck's extensive starting experience, he may be ready to start right away in the NFL. 

Even if the Steelers are hesitant about a rookie taking over the starting job, they could afford to gamble on a quarterback in the third round with three picks between 76 and 99.

Ironically, B/R scout Damian Parson compared Beck to Kenny Pickett, whom the Steelers selected in the first round of the 2022 draft.

College football statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.