The Pittsburgh Steelers have quite a few holes to try and plug this offseason, and not enough time and resources to do so. Knowing that, they need to be as efficient as possible, both in free agency and in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Quarterback is the biggest need for the Black and Gold, because without a clear-cut answer at the most important position in sports, the franchise will remain in purgatory. But outside of the quarterback position, the Steelers have significant needs at wide receiver, cornerback and along the defensive line.
For Pro Football Focus’s Mason Cameron, a dream scenario offseason for the Black and Gold would feature a splash signing at cornerback and a home run hit on a wide receiver in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
In that scenario, which Cameron laid out for PFF.com Monday morning, the Steelers land veteran cornerback DJ Reed in free agency and then land Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in the first round of the draft.
“Pittsburgh needs more top-end talent at the skill positions to round out its roster — along with a passer — and snagging two natural fits in spots of need would pay off massively. Reed would provide a natural fit in the Steelers’ single-high defense, having run a significant rate of closed coverages in his time in New York,” Cameron writes regarding the Steelers’ dream-scenario offseason. “Burden himself is a natural playmaker out of the slot who excels with the ball in his hands. The Steelers generated only 586 yards after the catch from receivers in 2024, ranking 31st in the NFL, so the Mizzou standout would provide that explosive after-the-catch ability this offense is sorely lacking.”
Reed will turn 29 in November, so he’s still in the prime of his career. He’s a player who’s been connected to the Steelers throughout the offseason, too, due to his play style and the type of coverage he thrives in. That being closed-cover-type settings with no help over the top, which Pittsburgh runs quite a bit of with single-high safety looks.
In the free agent rankings, PFF projects Reed to land a three-year, $42 million deal, which would be breaking the bank for the Steelers. Though $14 million a year isn’t all that large for cornerbacks — it wouldn’t put Reed anywhere near the top 10 at the position — it would be the largest outside contract given to a free agent by Pittsburgh, surpassing what linebacker Patrick Queen (3 years/$41m) got last offseason from the Steelers.
After watching Donte Jackson fall apart down the stretch last season opposite Joey Porter Jr., the Steelers need to make a splash at cornerback, and Reed could be that guy.
At receiver, Burden is a player who has been connected to the Steelers throughout the pre-draft process as a potential first-round pick. He’s been mocked to the Steelers at No. 21 overall multiple times and would be quite the addition opposite George Pickens from an explosive-play perspective.
In the scouting report of Burden for Steelers Depot, Steven Pavelka compared the 5-foot-11, 205-pound receiver to former NFL receiver Jarvis Landry.
After going through the 2024 season with a major need at WR2 opposite Pickens, the Steelers would be wise to address receiver early and often in the 2025 NFL Draft. Round one at No. 21 would be rather explosive for the Steelers’ offense under coordinator Arthur Smith.
If those were the two big splash moves in the offseason, the would be a good start for the Steelers, as two key holes would be plugged, at least on paper. Quarterback and defensive line would still major needs, but adding a top-flight WR and a lockdown corner would be a great step in the right direction.
