The Pittsburgh Steelers are not in a good place. Their 2024 season came to an end in excruciatingly similar fashion to years prior, and they enter the offseason more than a stone’s throw away from Super Bowl contention. There are a lot of positions that need upgraded. Based on the lack of change so far this offseason, some fans are skeptical that Pittsburgh really cares about making those necessary improvements. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette is stressing patience with GM Omar Khan, though.
“Steelers fans, if you’re worried about a guy who’s just gonna sit back and maybe do things the old way, that’s not Omar,” Fittipaldo said Wednesday via the North Shore Drive podcast. “At the very least, Omar’s gonna try to shake things up and improve this roster in every single way.”
This offseason is a pivotal one for the franchise, as the Steelers are at a crossroads. They’ve got plenty of talent. However, much of that talent is aging, and they clearly don’t have enough to contend for a Super Bowl or even win a playoff game. The Steelers desperately needs upgrades at several skill positions on offense, including running back and wide receiver.
Also, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are each going to be free agents once the new league year commences. There isn’t a starting-caliber quarterback on the roster under contract for 2025, so Khan has to address that. Najee Harris is a pending free agent as his backfield partner Jaylen Warren, who will be a restricted free agent. That, plus the lack of depth at receiver, forces Khan’s hand.
There’s some sentiment in the organization that one of Wilson or Fields will return. There’s also a chance we see Harris brought back as well. While there aren’t many better options in terms of free agency, Steelers fans don’t want to see the same players brought back, given the way the 2024 season ended. Thus, Khan isn’t in the easiest position.
To Khan’s credit, he’s been proactive in the past. In his first draft as Steelers GM, Pittsburgh traded up in the first round to land Broderick Jones. Last offseason, the Steelers traded Kenny Pickett and brought in Wilson and Fields. Those moves haven’t paid off in a major way. Still, they are examples of Khan being aggressive as he attempts to upgrade the roster.
Luckily for the Steelers, the 2025 draft class is loaded at positions the Steelers need to upgrade like running back, receiver and the defensive line. The NFL’s 2025 salary cap will reportedly be higher than expected , giving the Steelers added flexibility there as well. Khan will have his opportunities. We’ll see what he does with them.
