A new year means a chance to turn the page for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After their 2025 season ended with an early postseason exit, the Steelers are looking to avoid a ten-year drought without a playoff win in 2026. But the latest NFL roster rankings reveal a painful truth about where Pittsburgh stands among its AFC North rivals.
On Monday, ESPN's expert panel of Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz, and Seth Walder ranked all 32 NFL rosters based on projected depth charts ahead of the 2026 season. The Steelers ranked in the bottom half of the league at 19th. Clay labeled off-ball linebacker as the team's biggest weakness entering 2026.
But it might be even more concerning to note where two of Pittsburgh's AFC North rivals are ranked.
Though we could all have predicted the Cleveland Browns would rank near the bottom of the league (No. 31), ESPN ranked the Ravens as the 5th-best projected depth chart in the NFL and the Cincinnati Bengals as the 15th-best depth chart in the league ahead of NFL training camps.
And if this proves to be true, the Steelers have their work cut out for them.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are already playing the underdog before the 2026 season even starts
For a team that routinely makes the playoffs, it's hard to believe that the Pittsburgh Steelers don't have a bit more respect on their name. While it's reasonable to have concerns about an aging quarterback and the concerning performances of Patrick Queen and the off-ball linebackers last year, there's plenty of reason for optimism.
Over the past four seasons, Omar Khan has completely rebuilt the Steelers' offensive line while finding cornerstone players like Joey Porter Jr. and Nick Herbig. The youth infusion alone should spark optimism.
Unfortunately, ESPN doesn't believe the Steelers' roster currently holds a candle to what the Baltimore Ravens have got going on. Quarterback Lamar Jackson just got a new anchor in the middle of the offensive line with Olaivavega Ioane, while the additions of edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and defensive tackle Calais Campbell could offer a spark on defense.
The Bengals, meanwhile, traded for All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence during the offseason while signing Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen in free agency.
But the biggest difference separating the Ravens and Bengals from the Steelers comes at the quarterback position.
Lamar Jackson is a two-time MVP, and Joe Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the league when healthy. Both missed significant time with injuries last season, and now that they're back to full speed, it could be hard for a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers to keep pace in 2026.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' roster isn't as bad as ESPN made it out to be on paper. This team has a plethora of young building blocks that offer optimism and hope for the future. Unfortunately, the Ravens and Bengals have comparably good rosters with franchise quarterbacks... and that was reflected in the latest depth chart rankings.
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