The Pittsburgh Steelers had a disappointing end to their 2024 season, dropping five straight games after a 10-3 start and ending yet another season with a Wild Card Round loss. Even though the Steelers have decisions to make at quarterback, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler isn’t completely out on the Steelers, listing them in the “teetering contenders” group along with the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans in ESPN’s NFL tier list.
Other tiers included “still major contenders, “on the cusp,” “need a postseason breakthrough,” “stuck in QB purgatory,” and “this could go either way.” The teetering contenders tier certainly isn’t the worst to be put in, because at least it means the Steelers are still thought of as contenders.
They probably shouldn’t be, given they haven’t won a playoff game since 2016 and routinely fail to play well against upper-level competition. But Fowler seems to think that the Steelers will make changes after the way their season ended, and it sounds as if he thinks that Justin Fields will wind up being Pittsburgh’s quarterback next season.
“The five-game losing streak to end the 2024 campaign should prompt changes for a franchise that leans conservative. Deciding whether to sign Russell Wilson, Justin Fields or an alternative at quarterback should come into focus over the next month,” Fowler writes. “My sense is that Fields and Pittsburgh are both open to a new deal as long as Fields gets a shot to be the full-time starter.
“After that, Pittsburgh badly needs to reload at the skill positions. Last year’s receiver group was inadequate. A decision looms on free agent Najee Harris’ future. Pittsburgh’s defense was uneven against the run, calling for reinforcements. And, oh yeah, T.J. Watt is a 2026 free agent.”
It would be a bit of a surprise if the team brought back Harris, especially with such a deep running back class in the 2025 NFL Draft. As far as receivers, there are a number of veterans available on the trade market, namely Deebo Samuel and Cooper Kupp, while veteran free agents like Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins could also be options.
Aside from that, the Steelers could also target a receiver high in the draft. It’s a position they need to upgrade, but they also need to look at improving their defensive line given their run game struggles, and that could happen at the top of the draft.
Personally, it’s hard to view the Steelers as contenders, even teetering ones, heading into 2025. But if the team gets a bit aggressive this offseason and adds to positions it has neglected a bit in recent years, like wide receiver and defensive line, then maybe this team could surprise. But this offseason is going to determine if the Steelers can compete or if they’ll remain stuck in the middle.
