The Pittsburgh Steelers have made lots of bold and surprising roster moves this offseason. They will be without their top passer from 2024, Russell Wilson, their top rusher from 2024, Najee Harris, and their top receiver from 2024, George Pickens. However, the team has also gained some promising additions, namely, star receiver DK Metcalf, and all of the promising rookies the team picked up in the 2025 NFL Draft. With such a different roster from the previous season, it remains to be seen how the team will perform moving forward, but could the Steelers' roster develop further before the start of the next season? Steelers General Manager Omar Khan hinted at what could potentially be the Steelers' next move.
On Friday, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo reported that Khan was open to finding another asset to add to the team, however, the general manager is confident in the team's roster as it currently is.
If the Steelers are looking to add to the team's roster, then the most obvious position in need is the quarterback room. It's unclear if the Steelers are still going to aggressively pursue a veteran quarterback, or if the team is committed to making do with what they already have. Two of the team's options are veteran Mason Rudolph and newly drafted rookie Will Howard.
For a while, it seemed that the Steelers were committed to waiting for a decision from Aaron Rodgers. Many believe they still are. However, a decision from Rodgers never came, and as the quarterback has waited longer and longer to make up his mind, it may have caused many in the Steelers organization to give up on him. If nothing else, Steelers' Art Rooney II is confident that Rodgers wants to be a Pittsburgh Steeler, which could be a telling sign.
What other positions could the Steelers address? One option may be to sign a veteran running back if one becomes available. With the departure of Harris, the Steelers will need to find a promising candidate to replicate the running back's success on the field. Pittsburgh did address the position during the draft however, picking Kaleb Johnson in the third round. Johnson will have big shoes to fill in Pittsburgh, and if the Steelers aren't entirely confident in him, they may opt to search for another veteran to give Johnson time to develop.
The Steelers could also try to bolster their wide receiver room further. In hindsight, Metcalf may have always been intended to be a replacement for Pickens, not a complement. While many fans were looking forward to Metcalf and Pickens playing side by side, the Steelers may have a chance to land another elite receiver to work with Metcalf via trade or free agency. One report states that wide receiver Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins could become available to the Steelers, and at an affordable price.
Steelers' Strategy For The Upcoming Season Is Still Unclear
The Steelers face many difficult decisions approaching the upcoming season. With a roster that has gone through so much change so quickly, it's speculated that this season could be a bust. If the Steelers ride out the upcoming season, they could rely on the 2026 draft and their immense amount of picks to build up their roster and bounce back.
However, it's almost impossible to see the Steelers intentionally tanking. The Steelers have never had a losing season during the tenure of Head Coach Mike Tomlin, and despite a chaotic offseason, Pittsburgh may be able to pull it off again.
