There is plenty to do this offseason for Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan. This should kick off a couple of months of news breaking out of Pittsburgh regarding their football team. They need to fix their cap situation and try to find ways to sign potential free agents. Their roster will have many differences and it seems like they could make a ton of moves if they follow this mock offseason.
According to Spotrac's website, the Steelers currently have a little under 30 million in the negative in terms of cap space. They will need to find different ways to get under the cap ceiling and potentially more if they wish to open some spending cash for free agency and sign their draft class. It is possible and this mock offseason proves that.
Pittsburgh decides to make several contract restructures before free agency
First up on the restructure list is T.J. Watt. He would save the Steelers over eleven and a half million bucks for their cap. That is a significant chunk of cap space that it opens. That makes up for over a third of the cap issues that Pittsburgh is trying to disintegrate. Watt signs the contract restructure as he hopes to help the team build with pieces around him.
Next up is the obvious choice here as the Steelers ask Cam Heyward to extend his contract to lessen his cap hit. The guy bleeds black and gold so he accepts. It turns out to lessen Heyward's cap hit by seven and a half million against the cap and adds three void years in the deal. This way he gets his money and can complete his career with the Steelers.
Now sitting at roughly ten million over the cap, the black and gold turn towards one of their playmakers on offense to help out. They get Diontae Johnson to accept a contract restructure to give them a smidge under nine million in cap space. That now leaves the Steelers in the red, but barely. They only need to clear out another million and some change to get under the cap ceiling.
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Many notable names get cut by the Steelers to open extra cap space
With cap space at a premium, the Steelers decide to make a massive wave of cuts to get some spending money for free agency. In this mock offseason, they decide to let go of six players currently on their roster. Five of these players held a starting role with the team last season at least one point in time. The other player who held a depth role is Nate Herbig. He would save four million in cap space, and he didn't do much to challenge a struggling Mason Cole for his starting spot.
Now with the Steelers under the cap, they decide to make some major moves to open even more cap space. The obvious choice was letting go of Allen Robinson II and that saves them ten million bucks to spend elsewhere. Chuks Okorafor is another big name as he could be traded, but in this simulation, he was cut. These two are obvious choices and it would be shocking if either one of them returned.
Mitch Trubisky showed that he cannot be a reliable backup quarterback going forward. The Steelers decided to cut bait with him after just re-signing him to a contract extension last year. That saves them nearly another three million to try and re-sign Mason Rudolph. That never materializes, but cutting Trubisky and resetting the quarterback room is a must this offseason.
A duo of starting safeties are let go too. Kind of a shocker here as both Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal are cut to save some extra money. Neither makes a ton of money, but the hope is that their savings could bring in a legit starting option next to Minkah Fitzpatrick. Cutting both Kazee and Neal saves a little over five million in cap space. And just like that, the Steelers have a lot of money to work with in free agency.
This mock offseason opens free agency with nearly 41 million to spend
Steelers made re-signing Rudolph a priority, but they were not successful. He hits free agency and signs elsewhere. They were able to re-sign Miles Boykin for another year at a cheap rate. He is a quality special teams' player and someone the Steelers could use on their third unit of football. He is a good veteran to keep around the locker room.
The offensive line is something Arthur Smith is going to need to have for his offense to succeed. With Herbig and Okorafor gone, Pittsburgh needs a potential starter at center and right tackle plus depth at both spots. Smith gets a guy that he is familiar with from Atlanta, Matt Hennessy. He has played both guard and center and would be a nice depth veteran piece on the cheap. Josh Jones signs a two-year deal to jump into the starting right tackle spot competition.
Noah Brown also gets a decent contract from Pittsburgh to be a reliable veteran slot receiver. He signs a two-year deal that takes pressure off of the Steelers to add a slot receiver in the draft. He doesn't have as much production as you'd like, but at a cheap price and a short deal, it makes sense to sign Brown. He is an immediate upgrade over Robinson for much cheaper.
Big move here, maybe not as big as many fans would hope for, but the Steelers go out and get a proven starter in the NFL by signing Gardner Minshew. He does end up costing the Steelers more money than what Rudolph signed for, but he wanted to move on to a new club. Minshew is someone who can give Kenny Pickett legit competition for the starting quarterback spot but also be in the backup role if needed.
Steelers mock free agency sign key defensive players to the team
A good chunk of cap space to play with as we enter the defensive side of free agency. Chandon Sullivan re-signs on a cheap one-year contract that gives him a shot at being a slot cornerback on the starting defense or a depth role. Miles Killebrew is another player who gets his contract renewed as the special teamer is one of the best in the business and gets a respectable new three-year deal.
Another veteran up next that played a quality role for the Steelers this past season is Markus Golden. He gets re-signed on a new two-year contract that will have him in a depth position likely behind Nick Herbig as long as he wins that spot. Rounding out the re-signings on defense with Kwon Alexander as he gets another cheap one-year deal to prove he can rebound from his season-ending injury last year.
A pretty big signing here by the Steelers as they sign Dane Jackson who is a free agent coming out of Buffalo. He isn't the best cornerback on the market, but he is far cheaper than what most fans want. The defense already has a ton of money invested in them, but they get pretty good value here. Jackson will be a quality second cornerback on the outside opposite of Joey Porter Jr.
Another splash on defense with the signing of Geno Stone to a three-year contract. He gets the money that the Steelers saved by cutting both Neal and Kazee. Their depth might be hindered, but they sign a local kid and pluck him away from the Baltimore Ravens. Stone is an immediate upgrade as Minkah Fitzpatrick's safety partner.
Steelers mock draft Round 1: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Night one of the NFL Draft has finally arrived in this mock offseason for the Steelers. Their needs are different now after free agency took place. They have addressed many of their concerns by signing veteran players who have the ability to start. The draft will now allow rookies to jump onto the roster and compete for starting jobs instead of being rushed to start.
Pittsburgh stays still as they watch plenty of quality draft prospects that they were interested in coming off the board. They are hoping for a center, cornerback, or tackle to drop to their selection. A lot of tackles end up going in the 19 picks before their opportunity comes. The Steelers do take some trade calls, but they end up staying put and making a pick.
Tyler Guyton ends up being the guy that they can't pass up in round one. They just signed Jones in free agency to compete for the starting right tackle spot, but they bring in Guyton to challenge for the starting job too. This provides quality depth on both sides at tackle and a good competitive atmosphere when training camp comes around.
Double dipping at tackle might be seen as a luxury after signing Jones in free agency, but this makes the offensive line full of quality starting options and good depth pieces. Guyton is someone that has a lot of great tools coming out of college. He will likely get the Broderick Jones treatment and have to wait to start. Guyton will be the future starting right tackle in this situation.
Steelers mock draft Round 2: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
Day two of the draft arrives for the Steelers after just taking Guyton in round one. They are happy with the pick but feel the need to continue their investment in the trenches. They would love to add a quality defensive lineman and a center before day two is over. They watch as plenty of quality defensive tackles fly off the board early on day two of the draft.
They pivot and go with their other need at center. They still have Mason Cole on the roster and Hennessy just signed in free agency. Both could compete for the starting job at center, but Hennessy was mostly signed to fill the depth role that Herbig left behind after being a cap casualty earlier in the offseason. That leaves another legitimate option to compete to be the starting center open.
Zach Frazier is the second-round pick by the Steelers in this mock offseason. Rumor has it that the Steelers love this prospect, and it makes a ton of sense. He is a local product coming out of West Virginia, and he would fit Arthur Smith's offense perfectly. The fit is there and Pittsburgh could have plenty of options to work with on the roster.
Cole and Frazier would challenge each other for the starting center job during the preseason. Whichever player loses will hold a depth role. Cole has familiarity at guard and center, so ideally if an injury at guard were to occur then he could slide there and have Frazier start at center. He seems to be the better player between the two, but we know the Steelers are not too keen on starting rookies right out of the gate.
Steelers mock draft Round 3: Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
Rounding out day three here by going cornerback. The Steelers wished they had a good defensive tackle prospect fall to them here, but they still have Keeanu Benton, Cam Heyward, and Larry Ogunjobi as starting options. They will need to heavily invest in the defensive trenches after this upcoming season, but this mock offseason just didn't work out.
The Steelers select Mike Sainristil out of Michigan here. He is a cornerback, but he will be a great option to upgrade the slot. Sullivan was re-signed earlier in free agency, but he is better off as a depth piece rather than a starter. Adding Sainristil provides a new starter who should be able to handle the slot corner role for the foreseeable future.
Patrick Peterson is still around and it seems like he could play at multiple spots this upcoming season. He isn't a quality outside cornerback anymore. He could also factor into the slot corner competition when training camp comes around. Sainristil should be able to provide the Steelers with a Mike Hilton-type of player that they have been missing.
Another quality pick to end day two of the draft for the Steelers. They have now locked down some needs that they had entering the draft. Pittsburgh gets stronger across the offensive line and adds a cornerback that should be able to start in the slot on day one. Sainristil is a name to watch for as the draft process continues to play out.
Steelers mock draft Round 4: DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke
Day three of the NFL Draft marks not only the last day of the draft but the last actual day of this mock offseason for the Steelers. They want to still add some quality depth pieces that could play roles on this team for the upcoming season. Pittsburgh would like to add a couple of positions before they conclude their draft class.
One of those spots is at defensive tackle after they missed out on the group yesterday. DeWayne Carter is the selection here from Pittsburgh to kick off their back-to-back picks in the fourth round. He is a promising prospect coming out of Duke. The ACC has not been the best conference in college football recently so that could affect his draft stock some.
Limited production for a fifth-year Senior is what will make teams hesitant to select Carter earlier in the draft. He is good value at this point in the draft process. He had a monster year back in 2022 and many thought he would take things to another level in 2023. That did not happen, and his stat line was disappointing because of it. The Steelers decided to look past those numbers.
He had a solid week down at the Senior Bowl, but others did stand out more than him and that's why they were selected before him. Pittsburgh gets a young prospect to bring into the fold that has a balanced game and fits the type of player they like when they take a defensive lineman. Carter still has to unlock his game at the next level, but he should be a quality depth piece in year one.
Steelers mock draft Round 4 (via LAR): Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State
A splash signing was made in free agency when the black and gold added Stone to a lucrative deal. Even though they did add Stone, the depth behind him and Minkah Fitzpatrick is still struggling. The Steelers realize that and decide to invest one of their picks in a safety. Jordan Hicks is another quality pick here in the fourth round for the Steelers.
He is a big safety who can play in different situations around the secondary. He would likely be the best fit in the strong spot on the defense. Stone will be the starter, but someone like Hicks should be getting some playing time in certain packages. Depth at safety got thin this past season, so keeping quality options behind the starters will be on the Steeler's minds.
Fans would like this kid on day one. He is a physical player who is not afraid to attack where the ball is. He would be best as a run-supporting safety that can cover tight ends. His physicality is his best weapon, and he is not afraid to use his unique size in the position. Hicks is someone that would be able to complete a newly formed talented safety group.
Minkah Fitzpatrick now has a strong safety partner with Stone and they both have a quality backup with Hicks in the fold. Peterson will also be in the fold at safety, but it seems like the club would prefer him to be in a ball-hawking role rather than making tackles. Safety will be an interesting position this offseason with how the Steelers try to address it.
Steelers mock draft Round 6: Joe Milton, QB, Tennessee
Reinvesting the quarterback room is something the black and gold have seemingly announced during season-ending press conferences. Rudolph was not re-signed in this mock offseason, but another veteran quarterback was signed during free agency. Minshew should be able to provide a good option to challenge Pickett for his starting spot.
It is unlikely that the Steelers will bring any better option than someone like Minshew or Rudolph to be the starting quarterback challenger for the Steelers during the preseason. It also seems obvious that Pittsburgh will be in the market for a third-string quarterback towards to middle or end of the draft. That is exactly what happens here as Pittsburgh takes one in the sixth round.
Joe Milton II is the pick here and the strong-arm quarterback has a high ceiling, but also a low floor. He is the perfect example of a boom-or-bust candidate for an NFL prospect. He participated in the Senior Bowl, and many were wowed by his arm strength. The concerns with Milton will be his decision-making at the next level and how he handles learning a pro-offense.
If he can fix his decision-making skills and learn an NFL offense quickly, then he could be a great player. Best case scenario, he becomes a starting-caliber quarterback, but more realistic would be him becoming a backup option for the Steelers over the next four years. Milton could work out or become a bust quickly, but he is worth the gamble in the sixth round of the draft.
Steelers mock draft Round 7: De'Corian Clark, WR, UTSA
Pittsburgh signed Brown earlier and free agency and they also re-signed Boykin. Brown will be the starter in the slot, and Boykin will remain a primary special teams' contributor with a depth option at receiver. The Steelers still feel like they could have done more to improve their depth at receiver by this point in the NFL Draft.
Calvin Austin III is still there, but he didn't provide much on offense last season. The hope here is that he can show signs of improvement this time around or someone else steps up outside of George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. The black and gold decided to end their 2024 draft class by adding a receiver who could have a high upside if he can stay healthy.
De'Corian Clark is the choice coming out of UTSA. The Roadrunners are still a new program and have only been around for about a decade. They have produced some NFL talent over the past several years. Clark has done great things when he can stay on the field. His production during his collegiate career has been strong and something the Steelers are worth gambling their final selection on.
Again, the biggest thing with Clark will be him remaining healthy at the next level. He has the talent to be an effective receiver at the next level. He has not been able to stay healthy over the past couple of years and that has hindered his draft stock. We know the black and gold have shown some interest pre-draft in him, so this could be a nice shot in the dark to try and land a steal to close out the mock offseason for the Steelers.