The Pittsburgh Steelers have reasserted themselves as the top team in the AFC North division after picking up a pair of big wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins in the past two weeks. With an inside track to win the division, the Steelers appear to be in a good position to find their way into the postseason this year.
While the team is fully focused on the 2025 season, they have some big questions that will need to be answered over the offseason. Perhaps the biggest question mark of them all is at the quarterback position, where Aaron Rodgers‘ future is very much up in the air. Should Rodgers retire, or Pittsburgh decide to move on from him, let’s check out a trade pitch that would see the team bring in a former No. 1 overall pick as his replacement.
Steelers’ Kyler Murray Trade Pitch
Steelers receive: QB Kyler Murray
Cardinals receive: 2026 first-round pick
Rodgers has been solid under center for the Steelers through 13 games, throwing for 2,594 yards and 22 touchdowns so far this season. However, it’s worth noting this is year No. 21 in the NFL for him, and at 42 years old, he could opt to call it a career after the 2025 season. Pittsburgh has reportedly made it clear it would be interested in bringing Rodgers back for the 2026 campaign, but he seemed to indicate before the start of the season that he’d retire at the end of the year.
Should Rodgers call it a career, that would put the Steelers in a tough spot. The good news is that there appear to be several quarterbacks who could be on the move this upcoming offseason. One of them is Arizona Cardinals‘ star Kyler Murray, who essentially got replaced by Jacoby Brissett as the team’s starting quarterback this season. While the team is saying that Murray’s season is over because of a foot injury, he could be on the move this upcoming offseason.
In five games this season, Murray wasn’t all that effective, as he threw for just 962 yards and six touchdowns, while also rushing for 173 yards and another score. Murray has a track record of success, though, having earned Pro Bowl selections in 2020 and 2021, and a fresh start could be just what he needs to get his career back on track. With Pittsburgh potentially set to be in the market for a quarterback again this offseason, he could be a logical trade target for the team.
Would Steelers, Cardinals Be Interested in This Kyler Murray Trade?
GettyGLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 16: Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Murray’s stock isn’t particularly high, but his price tag would still be pretty high. Murray is still only 28 years old, and while he still has three years left on his five-year, $230 million contract, the Cardinals would probably be willing to eat some of that money if they get the sort of return they are looking for. The Steelers’ first-round pick in the 2026 draft would likely get the job done there.
Things are a bit more complicated on Pittsburgh’s side of the equation. Murray obviously is a very talented dual-threat quarterback, but he has struggled mightily in recent seasons. A change of scenery could help, but giving up a first-round pick for him is a big risk. Given the hefty price tag that is associated with Murray, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Steelers pursue other trade targets before potentially turning their attention to the Cardinals’ star.
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