NFL insider, former GM address Steelers' Ty Simpson question amid Aaron Rodgers uncertainty

During a Monday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter insisted that people within the Pittsburgh Steelers are "not frustrated" that they still don't know whether or not Aaron Rodgers will return to serve as the club's starting quarterback for another season. 

However, Schefter also hinted that the Steelers haven't been promised that they'll learn of Rodgers' intentions before the 2026 NFL Draft gets underway on April 23. During a Tuesday appearance on the "Unsportsmanlike" program, Schefter suggested that uncertainty related to Rodgers' future could cause the Steelers to at least consider selecting Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson with the draft's 21st overall pick.

Steelers believe Aaron Rodgers is coming back, but...

"I think people still believe that [Rodgers is] coming back, and people still are expecting him to be the quarterback of the Steelers," Schefter explained, per Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. "And maybe next week he'll just announce he's coming back. But guess what? The draft is next week. So now if the draft comes and you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, are you talking more about quarterbacks and [the] draft? I think you are."

Schefter went on to say that the Steelers could at least "talk about" grabbing Simpson at overall pick No. 21. 

Previous reports indicated that the Steelers weren't all that interested in spending a high-value draft pick on Simpson, in part because new head coach Mike McCarthy believes he can help unproven 2025 sixth-round draft pick Will Howard become a legitimate long-term answer for the organization. That said, such takes were offered when it was assumed Rodgers would either re-sign with Pittsburgh or retire before the end of March. 

Aaron Rodgers shouldn't impact Steelers' Ty Simpson decision?

While many view Simpson as the QB2 of this year's draft class, some feel he is a second-round talent. During a Tuesday appearance on ESPN's "Get Up" program, former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum argued that the Steelers should draft Simpson at pick No. 21 even if Rodgers puts pen to paper on a deal to return to the club before April 23. 

"He's going to be 43 in December," Tannenbaum said about Rodgers.

Both Tannenbaum and former player/current analyst Jason McCourty argued that McCarthy could want to develop Simpson and that Simpson could thrive if he is able to spend a season learning from Rodgers as a backup. 

The fact that the Steelers reportedly don't feel "forced" to draft a quarterback this year has many believing Rodgers will be Pittsburgh's QB1 this fall. Nevertheless, it sounds like some think Steelers general manager Omar Khan could pivot if Rodgers is still unsigned when the fourth Thursday of April arrives.