It was an eventful offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a lot of new faces have found themselves on the roster. This team underwent a major facelift in the hopes of bucking some of their recent, and disappointing, trends.
The offense trimmed a lot of fat, and while there are still a lot of questions, we can at least say that this team tried something new. From signing Aaron Rodgers to trading for D.K. Metcalf, this team has left no stone unturned.
As for grading which rooms got better or worse, the criteria are simple. We will look at each position group as a whole vs what the room looked like last summer before the season started. The new faces vs the veterans lost will be an obvious talking point. I will also consider the potential development of players new to the team and where they are projected to go.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive improvements
Steelers quarterback room
No group has undergone more turnover over the past two seasons than the quarterback room. For consecutive years, the team has completely revamped this group in hopes of finding some answers.
Last offseason saw the team add Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as their top options, versus Rodgers and Mason Rudolph this year. As a one-for-one, I think I like Rodger’s ability more than Wilson’s at this point. Just on that alone, I give the group an improvement grade.
However, Fields' not returning to the roster is a big blow. I think he offers the most to the group both in the short and long term. The offense won with him before he was benched as well. Because of this, I can’t say the quarterback room improved. Instead, they regressed on paper.
Verdict: Got worse
Steelers running back room
This might be the hardest group to grade on the surface. Out is Najee Harris, a steady, albeit lackluster starter. In his place is third-round pick Kaleb Johnson, now expected to be the handcuff to Jaylen Warren. Kenneth Gainwell also joins the crew as a good receiver with some burst.
I think you can argue with this group either way. You had a safer floor with Harris as the primary starter last year, but you have a higher ceiling with Warren and Johnson being the top guys.
In general, I was lower on Harris as a starter, so I think I’ll give the edge to the 2025 room due to the potential of everyone set to play.
Verdict: Got better
Steelers receiver room
The majority of this verdict comes down to answering one question: Who is the better receiver, Metcalf or George Pickens? At the end of the day, there hasn’t been much notable change in this group outside of those corresponding moves.
While I was a big Pickens supporter, Metcalf is far more proven and has his head screwed on a little tighter. The margin isn’t huge, but I think it is easy to say that Metcalf is the better receiver than Pickens as of right now.
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Beyond that, I like Robert Woods over Van Jefferson, and Calvin Austin should be more settled in as a second option for this offense. The real question mark is Roman Wilson. If he can showcase why he was a third-round pick, this group will be an easy improvement.
Verdict: Got better
Steelers tight end room
From a room with some major additions and subtractions to one that has remained mostly consistent, it is hard to give an accurate verdict on the tight ends. The top two options remain chalk, and following Donald Parham’s injury, the back end of the roster is a bit shuffled.
Pittsburgh got more than they expected out of MyCole Pruitt, but losing him isn’t a notable loss. Connor Heyward appears like a special teams only option. That leaves the backend of the roster lacking, but not notably worse than the group in 2024.
Ultimately, Darnell Washington is reportedly taking some more steps forward, inching this group into the better category. As well, finding a more capable third tight end should cement that grade in training camp.
Verdict: Got better
Steelers offensive line
Easily the Steelers' offensive position that got worse this offseason, player-wise, and it isn’t even close. While the hope is that Zach Frazier can pick up where he left off and become a top center, beyond that, there isn’t much going for improvement.
While Mason McCormick can take some steps forward, I don’t think he is nearly as good as James Daniels. Troy Fautanu is a complete unknown, and the hope is that he can cement his spot as a quality right tackle. Broderick Jones could be better than Dan Moore, but he needs to prove it this season in the worst way.
While the starters could almost wash out due to the expected growth of some of the young guys, the depth is massively worse. Your top backup tackle is Calvin Anderson, and the interior depth you had last year is gone. From top to bottom, this group got worse on paper.
Verdict: Got worse