Outside of not knowing the long-term plan at quarterback, things are looking up for the Pittsburgh Steelers early in the 2026 offseason. General manager Omar Khan made aggressive moves to land respected talents such as wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., cornerback Jamel Dean, running back Rico Dowdle, defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day, and safety Jaquan Brisker.
But these roster moves can only help the Steelers get so far, and the team desperately needs a youth infusion. The latest number from ESPN's Bill Barnwell unveils a harsh reality.
On Tuesday, Barnell posted a graphic on X updating the snap-weighted age of every current NFL roster in 2026. With an overall snap-weighted age of 28.2, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the second-oldest roster in the NFL right now.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must get younger if they want to see better results
The Steelers trail only the Washington Commanders (28.5) in the league in terms of average snap-weighted age. Despite letting a slew of veterans hit the free agent market and sign with new teams this offseason, Pittsburgh didn't necessarily get any younger.
Pittman will turn 29 years old during the 2026 season, while Dean will turn 30 early in the season this year. The two biggest free-agent additions by Khan raise the average age of the roster. Meanwhile, Sebastian Jospeh-Day, although a respectable player, turns 31 this month.
Of course, when discussing snap-weighted age, players like Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Jalen Ramsey affect the team's average adjusted age. And bringing back a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers certainly wouldn't help.
Thankfully, a huge youth infusion could be on the horizon.
Right now, the Steelers are on track to make 12 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. While we can't expect them to make quite this many picks (as there won't be enough room on the roster for all of these rookie additions), it's possible they could make eight or nine selections by the end of the draft.
Loading up on draft talent is the best way to add youth and talent to an NFL roster—this has always been the case. If seven or eight rookies can make the team in 2026 and carve out respectable roles—whether in 2026 or shortly down the line—this would be a major step in the right direction.
The Steelers are going to get younger, but it's going to take a conscious effort on their part to utilize the young players on their roster. Mike Tomlin seemed to favor veterans, even at the team's expense. Mike McCarthy can't afford to make the same mistake.
It's important to have experience and veteran leadership on any given NFL team, but Steelers fans are sick of seeing their team ranked among the oldest rosters year after year. This number gives us reason to worry about the team's future shape unless Pittsburgh can draft well and get its young players on the football field.