All of the talk around the Pittsburgh Steelers right now centers around the seismic moves that have taken place this offseason. The DK Metcalf trade, shipping off the eccentric George Pickens, signing Aaron Rodgers, and the Jalen Ramsey-Minkah Fitzpatrick swap have all combined to create the most chaotic offseason in team history.
While those moves have rightfully dominated the headlines, can we really say that they significantly changed the ceiling of the roster?
The only way this team has a real shot at deep playoff contention is the development of their young talent, and luckily, the Steelers have plenty of it. Two players in particular caught the eye of NFL Network's Bucky Brooks, with Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier both making his 2025 NFL All-Breakout team.
Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier need big seasons for Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason to pay off
It's exciting to see analysts still high on the potential of Troy Fautanu. The Washington product suffered an unfortunate knee injury that cut his rookie season short at just one game, but he won the right tackle job out of training camp last year despite being a left tackle in college.
His combination of athleticism, size, and natural leverage as a shorter tackle made him an exciting pick at 20th overall in 2024. He has the upside to be one of the better all-around players at his position, and Brooks thinks that could happen as early as 2025.
Zach Frazier is an entirely different story, as you could argue he already broke out as a rookie. He finished fifth in overall grading among centers by Pro Football Focus, and his ability in the running game especially stood out.
Even with Rodgers now the Steelers' signal caller, the run game is what offensive coordinator Arthur Smith prides himself on. With third-round pick Kaleb Johnson poised to form a dangerous tandem with Jaylen Warren, Frazier's value should only go up in 2025 as the catalyst for a potentially dynamic rushing offense.
If Brooks is right about these two being stars in 2025, many of the concerns for the Steelers' offense will quickly fade away once the season kicks off. If they fail to turn into true difference makers, however, then this wild offseason may be all for nought.