The 2024 season has just ended, and from March 10, the 2025 campaign will open its doors. Touchdown news therefore takes the opportunity to offer you an overview of different franchises during the offseason. Which players keep and cut? Which free agents extend? What recruits observe? Here are some ideas, franchise by franchise. In the spotlight, today, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Between pride and frustration. It is sometimes difficult to be able to analyze a season of Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin in recent years. If the 52-year-old technician remains the author of a historical performance, with 18 seasons concluded without the slightest negative assessment, it nevertheless leaves a bitter aftertaste in the mouths of his supporters.
Judge instead: since 2016, despite an eight or nine minimum victories each time, the Steelers have no longer been able to cross the landing of Wildcard. Pittsburgh is therefore one of the essential places of the American conference. From there to consider the steelers as a credible outsider in the perspective of the Super Bowl? Nothing is less sure …
These procrastination is largely explained by the difficulty of the franchise in finding an offensive continuity. The Kenny Pickett and Matt Canada tour page, fans of steel men have noticed a better attack of the attack under the thumb of coordinator Arthur Smith. Sufficient to allow Najee Harris to align a new campaign at 1,000 yards on the ground. Sufficient to allow Russell Wilson to offer decent content for a large part of the season. Insufficient to allow the Steelers to fight decently, for four quarters with their main rivals, in December and January.
New drastic measures must be taken again. But what is this room for maneuver available to the General Manager Local Omar Khan? Response elements …
Tauliers
1. TJ Watt (Edge Rusher)
2. Minkah Fitzpatrick (s)
3. Cameron Heyward (DT)
Tiercé unchanged from last season, but with some downsides still to highlight. Not concerning TJ Watt, which remains one of the very best defenders of the League and fatally the permanent compass of steel men.
For Minkah Fitzpatrick, things get stuck a little more, especially from a production point of view. The leadership and the versatility of the man remain undeniable, but the level of safeties, we have more often seen Deshon Elliott author of important games in 2024. Loads of being sure this year that he has not lost anything from his superb injury.
Finally, on the Cameron Heyward side, the problem is quite different. It is he alone who seems to determine if he will be the Taulier of the Steelers next year, quite simply because it is premature to affirm that he will always be in the workforce of Pittsburgh after this offseason. Admittedly, the interested party goes on his 36th birthday next May, but he has also just been appointed All-Pro, which could convince him to stack another year, to remain one of the spearheads of this elite defense.
The undesirable
– Larry Ogunjobi (DL)
– Patrick Queen (LB)
Again, an element of context is important. If he was a Run Stopper Precious in the past three years, in Pennsylvania, Larry Ogunjobi is starting to cost contractually dearly. And unless he was anticipated by Heyward, it seems difficult to keep two massive contracts on the D-Line for the Steelers. Especially in view of a certain inconsistency on the part of the former Browns player, in the middle of the season. His departure would allow Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan to save the sum of 7 million. Not negligible after having already separated from Preston Smith, for a gain of $ 13 million.
Speaking of a big jackpot, the case Patrick Queen is undoubtedly more polarizing. One of the most courted linebackers on the market in 2024, the one who was in Ravens had surprised by joining the division rival. A year later, hard to know if Pittsburgh is completely satisfied with this decision. Not content with having blown up hot and cold, especially on the coverage, Queen has seen the insolent emergence of the Rookie Payton Wilson, which could offer the Steelers a lever to part with it at a lower cost (10 million savings on the cap) by recruiting during the offseason a less glamorous but more needy linebacker. It remains to be seen whether we advocate patience or exaltation within the local organization chart.
George Pickens, finally ready to show another face?
The man of summer
George Pickens (WR)
Between shadow and light. Like many other receivers who passed by Pittsburgh before him, George Pickens is a earthy profile that it is sometimes very difficult to contain. If his demonstrations on the edge of the touch or his media outings sometimes leave something to be desired, the impact that the guy on the offensive production of his team remains quite stunning. Having missed three games in 2024, the former Georgia star still crossed the 900 yards mark and contributed to the encouraging season of Russell Wilson in Pennsylvania. His production in terms of touchdown (3 in 2024) still leaves something to be desired, but apart from Pat Freiermuth, he also remains the main player watched as you approach.
For the second year of Arthur Smith as the team's offensive coordinator, there is no doubt that Pickens could be an even more lethal weapon, if he tends to register completely in the project and unless there are fixed on his performance.
With the emergence of Calvin Austin and the hopes around the second -year player, Roman Wilson, injured last year, he could have more spaces available to get the 1,000 or even better bar again, he who had obtained 1,140 yards during the 2023 campaign.
The main free agents
1. Russell Wilson (QB)
2. Najee Harris (RB)
3. Donte Jackson (CB)
4. Dan Moore (OT)
5. James Daniels (G)
The others: Justin Fields (QB), Jaylen Warren (RB), Mike Williams (WR), Van Jefferson (WR), Mycole Pruitt (TE), Nate Herbig (OL), Isaiahh Loudermilk (DL), Elandon Roberts (LB), Cameron Sutton (CB), James Pierre (CB) (S).
A quality interim, nothing more. This is undoubtedly what the staff of the Steelers seem to be said. Russell Wilson, defector of the Broncos, recruited without Pittsburgh needing to pay his annual salary, was a nice surprise at the Quarterback post, winning his direct duel with Justin Fields for the post of holder. Is that enough? Nothing is less certain. Mike Tomlin has probably not forgotten the end of the complicated campaign of his player, including an abysmal performance against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day.
In attack, other cases of conscience will arise. Usually a holder on the left side of the line, Dan Moore could undergo the recent Draft of Troy Faetanu to change his air, and James Daniels could also go to see elsewhere, after having accumulated injuries in recent years. In the backfield, Najee Harris is an atypical case. If he has perpetually produced at 1,000 yards on the ground since his arrival in the league, the runner has lacked edge and leadership in the attacking sector, and the fact that his fifth year of contract was not activated by the franchise is a notable index of the suite of events for him.
Finally, in defense, Donte Jackson has often brought from a point of view turnoversbeing one of the best league interceptors in 2024 (five picks) but it also seemed too permissive on the ground play in particular. A restrictive free agent, Jaylen Warren has good things to come back, just like other useful players in the rotation or on special teams (Pruitt, Loudermilk, Pierre).
The top 5 needs
1. Quarterback
2. Running back
3.
4.
5.
That it seems far from time when the duo Ben Roethlisberger – Le'Veon Bell was the offensive anchor of this training! Ten years later, the Steelers are still at the crossroads in the offensive backfield, and rumors do not seem to agree on a return of Russell Wilson and Najee Harris. Loads to them therefore, to find during this offseason a new duo capable of being really complementary to the defensive framework so characteristic of the franchise.
In defense, precisely, and against the pass, answers must be found. Heyward at the end, Ogunjobi very dear, Jackson at the end of the contract … The right value for money should be found in a globally solid group.
Finally, the recipient's question necessarily arises, so much Pickens seemed alone to make differences in one against one. Another effective solution on exteriors would clearly free up many more spaces and seriously ventilate the Arthur Smith game notebook.
Milton Williams, still in Pennsylvania in 2025?
The target
Milton Williams (DL)
Among the viable solutions that exist on the market to energize the defensive line, Milton Williams is a profile that stands out. Rusher occasional during his first years in Pennsylvania, the former of Louisiana Tech took an additional dimension in 2024, alongside the monstrous Jalen Carter, to finish the season with 10 hits and 5 sacks. His template and versatility offer him an ability to be able to be used in an inner lineman on a 4 or “5-tech” forehead discarded on a front-3. The question will be above all financial, but if Omar Khan leads his boat well, the Steelers could hold the immediate replacement of Ogunjobi, while strengthening an already very effective Rush pass, and more calmly prepare the succession of Cameron Heyward.
From a coaching point of view, connections are quite light, but some will have noted that the new Linebackers coach in Pittsburgh, Scott McCurley, knows David Blackwell, the former coordinator of Williams at the university, well. To be continued …
New blood
Omarion Hampton, RB
If there is an offseason where it could be interesting to find a successor to Najee Harris at a lower cost, it is this. Because if the Draft 2025 clearly places Ashton Jeanty as a “generational” runner, the cast behind him is not more off -putting. Treveyon Henderson (Ohio State) is a full player, but composed with injuries during his course. Kaleb Johnson (Iowa) is a constant engine, but still has to reassure pass protection. Omarion Hampton, from North Carolina, seems to be a clever mix between these two players.
Lieutenant de Drake Maye, during his first months on the Chapel Hill campus, the running back took an XXL dimension in 2024, despite the failed exercise of his program and the departure of the Head Coach Mack Brown at the end of the campaign.
1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground, all with injury concerns in the quarterback post and with necessarily tenfold attention from the defense against him. Beyond its pure and hard production on the ground, Hampton asserted itself as a precious weapon at the end of Backfield with 67 receptions in the last two seasons, has demonstrated changes of laudable support, allowing it to rage on the interior and on exteriors, and has finally been solicited quite often on the pro pass, for a fairly honorable result given the casting of this cuvée.
The main question about him is where will he be available? Announced by some at the end of the first round, Hampton could also be an interesting commodity at the very start of the second round if the Steelers came for example to descend below for their first choice. But his tandem with Jaylen Warren would in any case have enough to offer Pittsburgh a solid marker to the race, even if the services of the offensive line, quite unequal in recent seasons, will also play a significant role in the full -speed operation of this squad.
Other choices: Quinn Ewers (QB), Treveyon Henderson (RB), Jay Higgins (LB).
