The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2026 offseason with no shortage of needs. Despite a whole new coaching staff under Mike McCarthy, the Steelers still lack wide receiver talent, and, more than anything else, they need to find a franchise quarterback.
However, just because these are their biggest needs doesn't mean they should throw money at these positions in free agency. On the contrary, the Steelers should be chasing a high-profile free agent cornerback this year.
Cornerback is a sneaky need by itself for the Steelers. Though their secondary played quality football down the stretch, James Pierre and Asante Samuel Jr. are pending unrestricted free agents, and Pittsburgh will need to find a cornerback to pair with Joey Porter Jr. for the foreseeable future.
But multiple reasons make cornerback the top priority for the Steelers in free agency this year.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must pursue cornerback over all other positions in free agency
Not only does cornerback align with a major need for the Steelers, but they are almost certain to get the most 'bang for their buck' by pursuing starting-caliber cornerback talent compared to addressing other needs like wide receiver, quarterback, or offensive line help.
Some of the top wide receivers on the market, like Jauan Jennings, Alec Pierce, and Wan'dale Robinson, are expected to break the bank. Spotrac estimates that Jennings will earn over $22 million per season on the open market, while Pierce is expected to receive a contract north of $20 million per season.
This is a gross overpay for the talent the Steelers would be getting in return, and it's easy to see a move like this becoming a bad financial decision for the franchise.
Meanwhile, the Steelers shouldn't feel confident enough in Daniel Jones (coming off an Achilles injury) to throw over $43 million per season at the veteran. Unfortunately, there aren't any other free agent quarterbacks worth going after.
But that's not the case at at the cornerback position.
Not only does cornerback offer a deeper talent pool in free agency this year, but it also offers starting-level options at respectable projected price tags. According to Spotrac's projections, the Steelers can sign a CB like Riq Woolen, Greg Newsome, Cam Taylor-Britt, Cordale Flott, Eric Stokes, or Josh Jobe for roughly $8-9 million per season in new annual earnings.
If the Steelers want to reach for the highest tier of cornerback expected to hit the free agent Market, they could throw $11-16 million per season at players like Nahshon Wright, Jaylen Watson, Jamel Dean, or Alonte Taylor.
All of these would be better options than greatly overpaying for an average-level starting wide receiver—some of whom would be nearly double the cost.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers are considering taking a cornerback with their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they might want to examine the CB market in free agency first. This team could fix their cornerback depth with quality players on respectable deals and still keep money in their pocket to address other positions this offseason.