There's a running saying around the National Football League: the NFL stands for 'not for long'. Most starters have just a few years of peak performance, while even the best in the league eventually age out. The Pittsburgh Steelers are witnessing this firsthand.
Thankfully, the Steelers have drafted well over the past four years. While general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike McCarthy want to give it everything they've got this season to avoid a decade-long drought without a playoff win, deploying the most experienced and top-billed players on the team in full-time roles may no longer be the way to go.
There are four veterans on the Steelers, in particular, who should quietly pass the torch to their predecessors in 2026.
These four Pittsburgh Steelers should pass roles to their understudies
Patrick Queen should surrender the 'green dot' responsibilities to Payton Wilson
Patrick Queen is a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker, and despite entering his seventh year in the league, he will be just 27 for the 2026 season. But it's not Queen's age that's a problem; it's his performance.
Queen has gradually gotten worse since joining the Steelers in 2024. His performance is mostly void of splash plays, while he struggled as badly in coverage as any linebacker in the league last year. Pro Football Focus credited Queen with allowing 74 receptions for 860 yards and three touchdowns in coverage. Meanwhile, he missed 32 tackles last season (over a fifth of the tackles he attempted).
Payton Wilson had his own struggles last season, but he had a promising rookie campaign in 2024. At 6'4'' with blazing speed and splash-play ability, the future looks much brighter with Wilson, and he should be the better linebacker for the 2026 season.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham should remove the 'green dot' responsibilities from Queen and hand them to Wilson, making the 2024 third-round pick their full-time linebacker this season. It's time.
Cam Heyward should decrease his snap count for Derrick Harmon
There isn't a Steelers fan out there who believes that Cameron Heyward should be benched based on his performance last season. There's a strong case to be made that, down to down and game to game, he's still the best player on the team.
But at 37 years old, Heyward needs to see a snap reduction to ensure he's at his best when on the field.
While nobody questions Heyward's ability to hold up against the run and to get pressure with the bull rush, he's going to be beaten, battered, and bruised late in the season if the Steelers don't give him a break. Pittsburgh should keep its oldest defensive player fresh by increasing Derrick Harmon's role.
Harmon will turn just 23 years old during Steelers training camp, and though he has had trouble staying healthy at times, he's got the talent to show why the Steelers drafted him in the first round last year. A change in the snap count distribution would not only give Heyward the rest he needs to be fresh late in the season, but it would also give Harmon much-needed reps.
Pat Freiermuth should support Darnell Washington as the Steelers' new TE1
This one might be the hardest to convince the veteran in front to take a backseat. Pat Freiermuth has proven to be a quality starting tight end who can aid the passing attack, and he could still have a few of his best seasons ahead of him. However, Darnell Washington is too rare a player to be left off the field, and his role needs to increase.
Washington is frequently used as an inline blocker for the Steelers, but with a 6'7'' frame and the ability to bulldoze defenders after the catch, his responsibilities in the receiving game need to increase.
Freiermuth should still have a respectable role on offense, but the dynamic needs to shift, and Washington should take the reins as the new TE1.
T.J. Watt should see a reduced role for Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith
It pains me to say this, but it's time for T.J. Watt to be third in line for snaps at the edge rusher position. There's no question that Watt's performance has declined dramatically over the past two seasons, and it doesn't help that he's getting overworked.
The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year and four-time First-Team All-Pro will turn 32 early in the season, and he's no longer capable of playing 80-plus percent of the team's defensive snaps without a significant dip in efficiency.
Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith are younger, fresher players and are great pass rushers in their own right. Regardless of Watt's hefty contract, the aging star needs to see his per-game snap count reduced so that he can be more effective on a play-by-play basis and not fizzle out late in the season.
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