The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the most intriguing teams due to a multitude of storylines. With the draft in Pittsburgh, the team’s first-round selection has been much anticipated. Add to that the teams’ need at the quarterback position, and it’s easy to see why Pittsburgh is a team to watch during the NFL Draft.
Steelers Predicted to Trade for Mac Jones in Latest PFSN Mock Draft
As the Steelers await a decision on veteran field general Aaron Rodgers’ playing future, many have wondered if the team will select a QB in the 2026 NFL Draft. Some have linked the team to Alabama star Ty Simpson in the first round, given his ranking as the No. 2 QB in the NFL Draft.
However, while Pittsburgh met with Simpson at the NFL Scouting Combine, they didn’t host him for a top-30 visit, suggesting he isn’t likely on their radar. Alternatively, the Steelers could target a mid-round QB in the NFL Draft as a potential developmental option or even to start this year if he plays well in Training Camp.
Garrett Nussmeier, Drew Allar, Cole Payton, Carson Beck, and Taylen Green are among the potential names they could target if they were to spend a mid or late round pick on the position, with the Steelers spending a Top 30 visit on each of them, except Nussmeier.
However, there remains an alternative at the QB position that has not been discussed as much: a trade. Anthony Richardson Sr. and Tanner McKee are two players whose names have been mentioned in trade rumors, but it is former first-round pick Mac Jones that the Steelers are projected to trade for in PFSN’s latest NFL mock draft.
In exchange for Jones, PFSN’s Cameron Sheath has the Steelers trading the No. 85 and No. 121 picks in this year’s draft to San Francisco.
“Mac Jones is a dog. He showed that last season when he played through what was clearly an excruciating injury and still won five of his eight starts,” Sheath said. “He’s also a very talented quarterback, as he showed during his rookie year in New England, and in recent spells with both the Jaguars and 49ers.”
Jones ranked No. 9 in PFSN’s Quarterback Impact Metric in 2025, completing 69.6 % of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 27-year-old played in 11 games, starting eight of them, and led the San Francisco 49ers to a 5-3 record, helping keep them afloat as a playoff team during Brock Purdy’s absence.
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While Jones has struggled at times during his NFL career, he is a former first-round draft pick and has shown his potential in his five-year NFL career, with 69 total touchdowns to only 50 interceptions.
Working under Kyle Shanahan could be what Jones needed to unlock his potential fully, as he could follow in the footsteps of Sam Darnold, a cast-off former top pick, who resurrected his career after playing under Shanahan.
While it’s unclear if the former Alabama star can recapture the magic he had in college and his Pro Bowl rookie season, his play in 2025 suggests that he could be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Jones turns 28 in September, and if Pittsburgh doesn’t believe in the QB options in the 2026 NFL Draft, he could be their best bet at finally landing the long-term answer at QB. A Jones trade would give the Steelers the flexibility at quarterback they currently lack.
“Jones is due less than $3 million in 2026, with only $1 million in guaranteed salary,” Sheath added. “That means the Steelers can still sign Aaron Rodgers before signing Jones to a team-friendly extension and making him the starter in 2027. Furthermore, if Rodgers plays hardball, the team will have a proven NFL QB ready to go.”
The salary, combined with the Steelers’ ability to retain their top two draft choices and all of their capital for next year’s draft, makes this an interesting move for Pittsburgh to acquire a potential franchise quarterback cheaply.
Meanwhile, for San Francisco, with Purdy locked up long-term, acquiring two picks for Jones before he leaves in free agency the following offseason makes a ton of sense as well. Pittsburgh has been searching for the long-term answer at QB since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 NFL season.
They whiffed on Kenny Pickett in the first round and have tried to plug the hole with veteran QBs Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Rodgers over the past two years. Acquiring Jones would be an intriguing swing by the Steelers and would certainly fire up their fans in attendance during day two of the draft.
