I host a Pittsburgh Steelers Town Hall on the Clubhouse App every Monday at 8:30 PM/EST. During the season we have 12-20 folks who review Steelers games and opine on moves made during the season. We transition to draft prospects, signing free agents, and other Steelers moves in the offseason.
This past Monday, several of us discussed unrestricted free agents the Steelers should target on offense. We identified both outside free agents and several players who were on the Steelers’ roster in 2024.
Quarterback
Obviously, quarterback is a priority since no one is signed for 2025 and the draft is not deep. We believe the Steelers may draft a quarterback in the middle rounds. But in order to remain competitive the Steelers must re-sign either Justin Fields or Russell Wilson. Our preference is Fields due to his higher ceiling. If both sign elsewhere, Sam Darnold is the next logical choice. We gave Aaron Rodgers an emphatic “no.”
If the Steelers sign Fields and draft a quarterback in the middle rounds, there is still a need for another backup. Preferably a quarterback with a bit of mobility and experience to help mentor Fields. External options:
Dolphins Tyler Huntley
Browns Jameis Winston (not so mobile since his knee injury, and he is feast or famine)
Jaguars Mac Jones
Redskins Marcus Mariota (aging but more for his mentorship)
49ers Josh Dobbs (another coach/mentor type available in an emergency)
Running Back
Running back is another very high priority in free agency. The Steelers will need a running back to pair with Jaylen Warren, who is a restricted free agent but is highly likely to be re-signed. We believe that Najee Harris will end up with a new team in 2025. The running back draft pool is deep, and we anticipate the Steelers selecting a running back somewhere between the third and fifth rounds. Cordarrelle Patterson may be cut loose so the Steelers will likely need a third running back. We don’t believe it will be a high-profile back. But someone who is closer to the league minimum in value rather than top dollar. External options:
Broncos Javonte Williams
Colts Trey Sermon
Packers AJ Dillon
Chiefs Samaje Perine
Bengals Trayveon Williams
Eagles Kenneth Gainwell
Wide Receiver
Regardless of George Pickens’ future with the team, the Steelers must look to the draft and free agency for wide receivers. We agreed that the Steelers must “pull out the pocketbook” for this position. Players like Chris Godwin are very expensive and have an injury history. Despite some injuries the group wants a push for a player like Tee Higgins. Mike Williams and Ben Skowronek are two players from the 2024 roster we see being re-signed. We believe Van Jefferson will not be back. There may also be a need for a slot receiver depending on how the Steelers draft. External options:
Bengals Tee Higgins
Buccaneers Chris Godwin
Giants Darius Slayton
Texans Diontae Johnson (there are concern he’s accumulated too much baggage but for league minimum?)
We also considered trade possibilities that might include George Pickens and/or draft picks.
Jets Garrett Wilson (same draft as Pickens; Ken Sterner suggested and Mark Bergin really liked it)
49ers Deebo Samuel (injury history)
Bears DJ Moore (just signed a huge contract)
A looming issue is whether to extend Pickens’ contract, let him play out his final year, or attempt to trade him. Mark Bergin cautioned that Pickens may opt to hold out if he does not receive an extension. The decision with Pickens will impact the Steelers’ plans for both free agency and the draft.
Tight End
We concluded that tight end doesn’t need to be bolstered in free agency. We don’t think the Steelers will bring MyCole Pruitt back, but there is interest in re-signing Rodney Williams.
Offensive Line
We anticipate some free agency signing at offensive line. We believe Dan Moore Jr. is destined for another team. And James Daniels won’t be back before training camp. Nate Herbig may return at a reduced salary. And tackle Calvin Anderson and guard Max Scharping could be re-signed for minimal money. The Steelers may sign a veteran tackle to mentor their young tackles. Or to be able to start if Broderick Jones does not progress sufficiently. And we see guard a priority as insurance if Mason McCormick does not progress.
Chiefs G Trey Smith (if available)
Colts G Will Fries (if he passes medical)
Eagles OT/OG Mekhi Becton (enthusiastic response when his name mentioned)
Rams OT Aleric Jackson
Giants OT Chris Hubbard (discussed last week as a mentor along with Kelvin Beachum)
Eagles OT Fred Johnson (former Steeler)
The Draft
We also discussed whether the Super Bowl result made us more or less optimistic about the Steelers’ prospects in 2025. Ted Webb thought the Eagles showed that Pittsburgh could be on the right track. Continue to invest in the trenches, this year draft defensive line. Marc Mosely believes Art Rooney II must direct Mike Tomlin not to micromanage his coordinators. Brandon said the quality of assistant coaches is the big differentiator between the Steelers and the Super Bowl contenders like the Eagles and Chiefs. The talent gap is not so wide if Pittsburgh had better coordinators and position coaches.
We reviewed additional draft prospects suggested by Steelers Depot respondent Ralph Neeley in the comments from our early draft discussion. Ralph suggested some defensive linemen that might be found in the fourth to sixth rounds. A couple wide receivers. Three cornerbacks. And a running back who would complement Jaylen Warren. We liked his suggestions. I’ll list them below with their projected draft round, according to the NFL Draft Buzz.
Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams; Round 2
Florida State DT Joshua Farmer; Round 4
Ole Miss DT J.J. Pegues; Round 6
Texas DT Alfred Collins; Round 2
Toledo DT Darius Alexander; Round 4
Utah State WR Jalen Royals; Round 2
Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor; Round 2
Notre Dame CB Ben Morrison; Round 2 (might be gone too early)
East Carolina CB Shavon Revel; Round 1 (might be gone too early)
Iowa State CB Darien Porter; Round 3
Kansas RB Devin Neal; Round 3
We like the idea of double dipping for a defensive lineman in the draft.
Conclusion
This was the Steelers Town Hall initial discussion on the Steelers’ free agency prospects on offense. We think starters like Najee Harris and Dan Moore Jr. may find new teams. Omar Khan will re-sign a number of the Steelers’ 17 pending unrestricted free agents, but some familiar names will not be on the roster in 2025.
We’ve identified several prospective outside free agents who fit the Steelers offensive needs. I’m sure there may be more that you’d like to suggest in the comments section. Next week we’ll talk defense.
Many thanks to Ken Sterner, Ted Webb, Brandon, Jake, Marc Mosley, Adam, Oneal Jones, Mark Bergin, and Scratch who contributed to this discussion.
Your Song Selection
I always like to include some music. Free agency is quite a wild place. Plenty of talented players ready to join a team for the right price. We got to take it day by day. The salary cap may bleed. But it’s the price you got to pay. Here is Welcome to the Jungle performed by Guns N’ Roses.
