After a 10-3 start to the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers limped to the finish line, losing their last four games. While the team made the playoffs and will take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, the roster is expected to see some turnover this offseason if the Steelers can’t win in the playoffs, as Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote in his weekly chat there’s expected to be roster upheaval with “regulars being let go” this offseason if the Steelers lose Saturday.
Answering a question about what changes will happen if the Steelers lose to the Ravens, Dulac said Mike Tomlin will stay but roster changes will be made.
“I don’t think you will see any changes at the top, meaning Mike Tomlin, but I hear you and I get it. But there will be more roster upheaval for sure in the form of regulars being let go. And that won’t be a bad thing.”
One player who the team could move on from is WR George Pickens, as Dulac said it’s to be determined if he’s on the roster beyond this season. Other than that, the Steelers will likely let OT Dan Moore Jr. leave in free agency, but the team could also look to make cuts. OLB Preston Smith is almost guaranteed to be cut given his $13.4 million cap number for next season, but beyond that, other decisions, like cutting DL Larry Ogunjobi, are on the table but there’s no one who would definitively be gone.
It’ll be interesting to see how Pittsburgh handles the offseason, especially if they do lose to Baltimore and make it five straight one-and-done playoff appearances. The Steelers have both QBs Justin Fields and Russell Wilson set to hit the market, and if the Steelers wind up with the same result as last season, it might not be a guarantee that Wilson returns as Pittsburgh’s starter. There are a number of ways the Steelers can approach the offseason, and if they lose to Baltimore, there will be a heightened sense of urgency to build a roster that can compete and win in the playoffs.
A win against Baltimore doesn’t preclude significant changes being made, but it will lessen the urgency for a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. Still, the goal for the Steelers should be competing for the Super Bowl yearly, and if that’s not happening, they need to find a way to make it happen, even if leads to some tough decisions.
