Steelers predicted to replace Aaron Rodgers with former 4,000-yard quarterback
The Pittsburgh Steelers are set at quarterback in 2025, but the same cannot be said for 2026.
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The Aaron Rodgers experiment is going well for the most part for the Steelers, but there is no guarantee the 41-year-old will be back in 2026, as Rodgers has already hinted he could retire next year.
Pittsburgh didn't draft a quarterback until the sixth round in 2025, when the team took Will Howard in that spot. But Howard remains a wild card and there's no telling if he can be the long-term solution at the position. Based on his draft positioning, there's a good chance he won't be.
The Steelers' shaky situation at quarterback isn't lost on The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer, who predicts the team will take LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
"The Steelers still should expect Aaron Rodgers to be a one-year solution despite his first-year success in Pittsburgh," Iyer write. "This strong-armed pocket passer with good moxie and toughness should remain on their radar this late."
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound quarterback exploded onto the scene in 2024, when he finished north of 4,000 passing yards and threw 29 touchdowns to 12 picks.
Things haven't gone as smoothly this season, though, as Nussmeier is on pace to post less passing yards and touchdowns than he did in 2024 after tallying 1,806 passing yards and 12 scores to five interceptions in eight games in 2025.
But that doesn't change the fact that Nussmeier checks all the boxes teams are looking for in a quarterback in this day and age.
The LSU star has the requisite arm talent and strength, athleticism and football IQ to be one of the top prospects at quarterback in 2026.
With the Steelers slated to pick in the middle of Round 1, at worst, Nussmeier could very well be on the board when Pittsburgh is on the clock.
Olave Gets His Wish - But at What Cost?
The New Orleans Saints made a painful move on Tuesday, trading wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks. As the now former Saint packs his bags, he is sure to leave some big shoes to fill.
Shaheed was their go-to guy when it came to big shots down the field. Yes, his fellow wide receiver Chris Olave has caught some, but not nearly as much when compared to himself. Over the years, Shaheed has made highlight after highlight of turning defensive backs into burnt toast, most recently against the New York Giants.
Then there's the case of his presence on special teams. Since arriving in the National Football League as an undrafted free agent back in 2022, he could be seen returning kicks and punts and has gathered two punt return touchdowns and one kick return touchdown in his career.
It's on Chris Olave to fill the field stretching void Rashid Shaheed leaves in the Saints offense
I don't think it's possible for the Saints to just grab one player and expect them to do what Rashid Shaheed was able to do. It's going to take a group effort, but it starts with Chris Olave. Olave clamored to be a three level threat this offseason. Shaheed took most of those opportunities, but maybe Olave gets what he was looking for now.
Olave made his most pronounced splash of the season against the Chicago Bears on a deep shot from Spencer Rattler. The change is at quarterback, not Olave's ability. He may have to lean into Shaheed's lane stylistically and take on a larger workload.
There's also Mason Tipton, a wide receiver who stood out in the offseason but has yet to make any impact at all in the regular season. He's primarily a special teamer, and he'll get a larger role in that facet. He's also a player who can stretch the field. Tipton wouldn't be the all around threat of Olave but rather a deep ball specialist. It won't result in a lot of targets, but he could carve out a role moving foward nonetheless.
We must also not forget about wide receiver Trey Palmer. The Saints claimed the speedy receiver off waivers, but an akle injury has kept him on injured reserve. There's a chance he could come back this season, and he'd be another viable threat down the field.
