Three Biggest Questions for Steelers Post-Free Agency
Just like that, NFL free agency has come and gone. At least the first wave of it has, that is. The Pittsburgh Steelers were mostly pretty quiet, with their splash moving being a blockbuster trade for two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf.
With that in mind, it’s worth taking a step back to observe the moves they’ve made and ponder what else could be on the horizon. Here are my three biggest questions that I have regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers heading into final stretches of draft season.
What exactly is the plan at quarterback?
It’s March 21 and Mike Tomlin’s club is one a few teams without starting caliber quarterback on the roster. What separates them from teams like the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants is that all of them are all picking inside the top three, with means to select their guy in the 2025 NFL Draft.
After squeaking into the playoffs last season, that’s a luxury that the Steelers aren’t afforded. Aaron Rodgers has seemingly left everyone in the dark for now and Russell Wilson’s clash with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith makes his return unlikely. So, where do they turn to next?
After a rough stint in Nashville, Mason Rudolph returns to the Steel City but good luck selling him as a viable option to an already aging defense. From the outside looking in, it seems evident that the front office wasn’t particularly enamored with any of their options and instead opted to go bargain bin shopping.
That’s somewhat understandable considering they weren’t in great position to contend in 2025 anyways. But they still need a competent passer under center to properly evaluate all of the young talent on that side of the ball. Oh, and also to keep the $150-million dollar receiver at peace. A dart throw in the NFL draft seems more and more likely but unlike their actions in 2022, they’d be wise to avoid reaching on a first-round quarterback in an underwhelming class.
Who is the missing puzzle piece up front?
After totaling just six sacks in three seasons, the Steelers opted to cut Larry Ogunjobi loose. With the cash savings, the squad was able to retain Isaiahh Loudermilk while also signing both Daniel Ekuale and Esezi Otemewo. While plenty experienced, that trio will be fighting for snaps in the rotation but they don’t have the combined resume of a starting caliber player in the trenches. The good news for them is that this upcoming defensive line class boasts a multitude of talented players up front. Whatever particular skill set they are searching for, there’s multiple of that particularly archetype available to them in the first two days of the draft. The answer to their preference may actually depend on their future wishes for Keeanu Benton’s alignment in base personnel.
If you were a betting man, smart money says that the defensive line is very high on their priority list in April. If they opt for a three-technique, Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen and Oregon’s Derrick Harmon make sense. If they’re searching for mass in the middle, Michigan’s Kenneth Grant will be in play. Whoever it is, it seems pretty obvious that they’ll need to be integrated into the fold immediately. Even if the board doesn’t fall their way in the first round, there’s still more than capable role players to be had on day two that could provide them with better production than what they received last year from that spot.
They’re doing it again, aren’t they?
I’ve lost count how many consecutive off-seasons that the Steelers have had a need at the slot corner spot. The annual solution seems to be placing a band-aid over it and it feels like that’s where we’re headed again in 2025. Their only addition so far has been another cost-friendly add in Brandin Echols, who sporadically saw 169 snaps inside at various points throughout his time with the New York Jets. Could the lack of investment mean that the team feels optimistic about Beanie Bishop’s trajectory heading into year two? If that’s the case, it contradicts their decision to bench him in favor of Cam Sutton down the stretch last season.
Every defensive scheme is different and every franchise has their own team building philosophies. After all, the Steelers have always built from the front-back. A devastating four-man pass rush can certainly mask a lot of deficiencies on defense. But those get tougher to hide when you have to face the best quarterbacks, particularly in the postseason when your areas of vulnerability typically come to the forefront . We’re in the midst of a very talented era of nickel-hybrid players: from Brian Branch to Cooper Dejean and so on. We’ve seen the impact those guys have had on their units. But it still feels like the slot position is an afterthought in Pittsburgh.