The Pittsburgh Steelers have no shortage of roster changes and improvements that must be made during the 2026 offseason. After attempting to patch some of the team's biggest holes with aging veterans, head coach Mike Tomlin soon found out why youth and athleticism matter.
The Steelers possessed one of the NFL's oldest rosters for most of the 2025 season (and it has shown). Long-time cornerback Darius Slay quickly fell out of favor with the team before being released, while Jalen Ramsey slowly transitioned to safety. Even the once-elite T.J. Watt took a big step back in his ninth NFL season, as age caught up with him. Not to mention his freak lung injury.
Luckily, there's hope for a future with this team.
While many of Pittsburgh's best and most important players from 2025—like Aaron Rodgers and Cam Heyward—are also their oldest, Steelers fans have some building blocks to look forward to in 2026 and beyond. Here's a breakdown of Pittsburgh's most valuable building blocks as we approach the 2026 offseason.
Ranking the Pittsburgh Steelers' top 10 building blocks ahead of the 2026 offseason
1. DK Metcalf, Wide Receiver
Now 28 years old, DK Metcalf is hardly one of the youngest players on the Steelers, but he's clearly among the most important. The big wide receiver plays one of the league's most important positions, and he's Pittsburgh's go-to target in the passing game. The Steelers gave Metcalf a massive contract extension when they traded for him in 2025, and he will be here to stay (at least for the next few seasons).
His two-game suspension may cloud his future with the team, but he would likely have to deal with a major injury or significant drop in play for it to change his outlook.
2. Nick Herbig, Edge Rusher
Nick Herbig has a chance to vault into the number one spot on the list of the most valuable Steelers building blocks—and maybe he would already be there if his coaching staff decided to use him more often. At 24 years old, Herbig is already one of the best situational pass rushers in the league. He could see an expanded role in 2026, and possibly a big contract extension coming his way.
3. Troy Fautanu, Offensive Tackle
Troy Fautanu isn't yet a top-three player on the roster, but in terms of value moving forward, it's hard to argue that his name doesn't warrant a place near the top. Fautanu made impressive strides in 2025 after missing all but one game in 2024 with a season-ending knee injury. The 2024 first-round pick has fantastic feet for an offensive tackle and brilliant recovery ability. Considering he plays one of the league's most important positions, Fautanu has the potential to climb even higher on this list.
4. Joey Porter Jr., Cornerback
Joey Porter Jr. has been up and down early in his NFL career. However, his impressive 2025 campaign proved to be a big step in the right direction. Porter is one of the only cornerbacks in the league who can play press-man coverage at a high level. While he still needs to improve his technique, he should be a long-term boundary cornerback for the Steelers who can help lock down the opposing team's top receivers.
5. Zach Frazier, Center
The Steelers were fortunate to find their center of the future with this 2024 second-round pick. There are more athletic centers in the league, but he's already a polished player with a mean streak. Frazier should be the interior anchor to Pittsburgh's offensive line for years to come.
6. Darnell Washington, Tight End
Darnell Washington's remarkably rare skill set makes him a cheat code that the Steelers finally started to figure out how to use in his third NFL season. At 6'7'' and 311 pounds during the 2025 season, Washington could act as a sixth offensive lineman, stretch the seam, and make defenders pay after the catch. At 24 years old, he's still only scratching the surface of his potential.
7. Derrick Harmon, Defensive Lineman
Placing Derrick Harmon seventh on a list of the Steelers' most valuable building blocks might seem high, considering his small sample of play, but there's more than enough upside here. Harmon has a rare combination of size and athletic traits as an interior defender. Though the frequent injuries could be a problem if this trend continues, there was a night-and-day difference in Pittsburgh's run defense when he was on the field during his rookie season.
8. Mason McCormick, Offensive Guard
There's a case to be made that Mason McCormick was the Steelers' most improved offensive lineman in 2025. In his second NFL season, the former South Dakota State Jackrabbit cleaned up his game mechanically and proved to be an impressive anchor on the interior offensive line. McCormick's encouraging campaign proves the Steelers already have their right guard of the future.
9. Broderick Jones, Offensive Tackle
In terms of positional value, there are very few spots on a starting lineup in football more important than left tackle. However, Jones struggled with consistency in his third NFL season and dealt with a serious neck injury that landed him on IR. While his long-term future with the team is murky, Jones still holds a position of high importance and flashes terrific potential (if he can finally put it all together).
10. Alex Highsmith, Edge Rusher
Just a year ago, Alex Highsmith would have been much higher on this list. However, his value as a Pittsburgh Steelers building block has steadily gone down in recent seasons. Thanks to the emergence of Nick Herbig, Highsmith no longer looks like the edge rusher this team must build around. Highsmith is also the oldest player on this list, as the 2020 third-round pick will turn 29 this summer.