7 Steelers Omar Khan must immediately work to re-sign for 2026

There’s a lot of attention being paid to who won’t be with the Pittsburgh Steelers next season, and for good reason. Yinzers already know that the two most important roles, head coach and quarterback, will need to be replaced. Art Rooney II told Steelers fans what they already knew about Aaron Rodgers and his future without Mike Tomlin in the picture.

Still, while Rooney and general manager Omar Khan are working on finding the right head coach, Khan still has a roster to build this offseason. Certainly, not everyone will be back among the 30 players destined for free agency this March. Some will leave for opportunities and bigger paychecks elsewhere, while others who were much more linked to Tomlin than the franchise might walk away, too.

Nonetheless, there are plenty among that free agent class whom Khan should work to ensure are still on the Steelers’ roster for the 2026 campaign, no matter who the next head coach is.

7 core contributors the Pittsburgh Steelers should keep through the Mike Tomlin transition

Safety Kyle Dugger

Kyle Dugger was a solid trade-deadline addition for the Steelers in 2025. Unfortunate timing brought him to Pittsburgh after DeShon Elliott tore his ACL. Elliott’s eventual return might make bringing back Dugger a difficult task, especially after a strong nine games in Pittsburgh.

With the Steelers, Dugger racked up 42 tackles, his first career safety, a sack, and two interceptions, including a 73-yarder returned to the house, giving him a new career-long.

Dugger wasn’t elite by any means; after all, Tomlin did utilize Chuck Clark quite a bit at strong safety in the Wild Card game after Dugger made some key mistakes in the season finale. Still, it’s not as though Dugger is set to make top-of-the-market money on the open market either.

Certainly, other defensive decisions will play into the viability of bringing Dugger back. Where Jalen Ramsey will line up next year is chief among them – not that the team has indicated he won’t stay at free safety, mind you. With that in mind, though, Pittsburgh went into the 2025 season with thin depth at strong safety behind Elliott and paid for it. Dugger was the most useful of the three safeties they brought in, so it’d be nice to keep him around to spot Elliott and provide meaningful depth on the back end.

Safety Miles Killebrew

Part of the reason the Steelers lacked defensive depth was that Miles Killebrew was lost to injury so early on in the year. Pittsburgh’s special teams ace played in just five games before he tore his ACL in the first Cleveland Browns meeting.

Of course, the Steelers likely would have made the same moves at safety as they did even if Killebrew were healthy. His value is to Danny Smith’s special teams unit much more so than as safety depth.

That said, Steelers fans have great respect for Killebrew and the thankless work he puts in on special teams. There should be no second-guessing in bringing him back for 2026 and beyond.

Running Back Kenneth Gainwell

If anyone told Yinz ahead of time Kenneth Gainwell would be the team MVP in 2025, it’d have been fair to assume the Steelers would finally endure their first losing season under Tomlin. My, how the under-the-radar free agent moves can surprise us all.

Kenny G earned every vote he got for the team MVP award last season, picking up 1,023 yards from scrimmage on 187 touches, 5.1 yards per touch. He had eight total scores and a team-leading 67 first downs. It was easily his most productive season statistically, but toward the end of the season, it became clear that he built value as a veteran leader as well.

Gainwell, who turns 27 in March, still has plenty of tread on the tires to strike a multi-year deal that carries him to 30. How lucrative that deal will be could be the deciding factor in him running it back with Jaylen Warren in the backfield.

With a new quarterback in town next season, having a first-down machine like Gainwell on the roster, as well as a reliable rushing duo, would be a massive boost for whoever is under center in 2026.

Cornerback James Pierre

Speaking of surprises, how about the season James Pierre had in 2025? From being cut at the 53-man roster cutdown to becoming one of the defense’s unsung heroes late in the year, Pierre has earned a contract this offseason.

Pierre set a new career high with 11 pass deflections this season and also had a stellar interception against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14. On 35 targets, Pierre allowed just 15 receptions for 130 yards, a new career low when seeing at least 30 targets in a season. For the first time since his rookie season, when he saw just one target, Pierre didn’t allow a single touchdown.

As mentioned with Dugger, where Jalen Ramsey lines up next year plays a significant factor in how the secondary will be built. Nonetheless, Pierre has proven to be excellent depth, and now that he’s shown reliability, Khan should be working to make sure he’s back in black and gold next season.

Of course, if Pierre is gunning for a starting spot, then the fate of the next free agent Khan should bring back could play a massive role in Pierre’s offseason.

Cornerback Asante Samuel, Jr.

Statistically, Asante Samuel, Jr. wasn’t quite as steady as he was before his neck injury. He allowed 10 of 14 targets to be completed for 204 yards and four touchdowns. The 20.4 yards allowed per completion allowed dwarfed his previous high of 13.3, and the 123.1 QB rating passers had when targeting him wasn’t ideal either.

Still, Samuel proved to be a strong mid-season pickup for the Steelers’ secondary, and his signing got Darius Slay out of Pittsburgh, too. All things considered, coming back to football after a scary neck injury isn’t exactly easy, so the stats can be forgiven if the value is there.

Again, if Ramsey moves to the outside corner next year, there’s no need for Samuel to stay in Pittsburgh. If Pittsburgh feels comfortable with Pierre as the starter opposite Porter, there’s no need for Samuel. But if Pittsburgh wants to replicate the secondary as close as possible to the end of the season, when they were clearly playing their best, then they need Samuel back.

He should still come cheap, and after a full offseason in the building, he might be closer to his full form from his early days in Los Angeles. Those sound like wins for the Steelers, so long as he’s back in Pittsburgh.

Tight End Connor Heyward

There are a lot of nepotism jokes that come with Connor Heyward, and some are for good reason. But in 2025, many Steelers fans recognized the value he brings to the team beyond his last name.

Heyward had just 18 touches this season, his second fewest in four years. Of those 18, 15 came on rushing plays, many of which were the Steelers’ version of the tush push. Heyward was responsible for 12 first downs and three scores. His touches were far more valuable this season than ever before.

Otherwise, Heyward primarily served as a blocker and special teams player, both of which he seemed to take a step forward in throughout 2025.

Heyward is best utilized as a gadget fullback who can help disguise the offense and lend a few surprises. That’s what he did in 2025, and the Steelers would be wise to continue to let him do it again next season.

Defensive Tackle Esezi Otomewo

Did you know that Pittsburgh finished the season with three depth pieces on the defensive line on Injured Reserve? If you didn’t, it’s probably because Esezi Otomewo helped you forget that Isaiahh Loudermilk, Dean Lowry, and Daniel Ekuale were unavailable.

Not to oversell it, Otomewo didn’t put up incredible statistics or eat heavily into the top four linemen’s snaps considerably. However, he played 12 games and offered much more confident depth than Loudermilk or Lowry have in the past. Otomewu grabbed nine total tackles and a sack, the lone sack being something Loudermilk hasn’t done since 2021.

The Steelers have a strong core of four players on the defensive front, including the three starters and Yahya Black, but Otomewo provides that fifth rotational piece after Black to ensure everyone gets a breather.

Sure, Otomewo might not be at the top of the priority list this offseason, but he sure ought to be on it in some capacity. He’s a good, young player who would do well to learn a bit more from veterans like Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton.