Why Steelers didn't draft Ty Simpson as potential Aaron Rodgers replacement

The Pittsburgh Steelers were viewed as one possible NFL Draft landing spot for Alabama QB Ty Simpson.

That's not where Simpson ended up, though. The Los Angeles Rams got him instead.

So instead of being a potential replacement for Aaron Rodgers, Simpson goes to be the potential heir to Matthew Stafford.

Not a bad gig for him either way.

For the Steelers, it's worse news. They could've used a potential quarterback of the future.

2026 NFL DRAFT HQ: Live tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Best players still available

Why didn't the Steelers draft Ty Simpson?

The simple reason is that the Rams took Simpson earlier than everyone expected.

They used the No. 13 overall pick to grab Simpson. The Steelers weren't picking until No. 21.

If Simpson was expected to go that high, any interested team could've pursued a trade up to swoop in and get him. In this setup, it's unlikely a bunch of trade ups were chased after, because it didn't yet seem to be Simpson's range.

BEST DRAFT NAMES: Ephesians Prysock | R Mason Thomas | DeVonta Smith | Zxavian Harris

There's no way to know now whether the Steelers would've thought about Simpson at 21, but he didn't get there.

This certainly raises the likelihood of the Steelers drafting a first-round QB next year, a class that should include Arch Manning and Dante Moore, among others.

For now, though, the Steelers' 2026 QB situation isn't any clearer. They're still waiting on Rodgers to decide what he's going to do.

More NFL Draft news:

• Chiefs make a shocking draft trade
• Commanders get Sonny Styles after historic NFL Draft Combine
• Steelers' 1st-round pick didn't play football until college
• Eagles and Cowboys have made a trade like this before
• Browns' pick is really about Shedeur Sanders' replacement