The Pittsburgh Steelers could field a fairly different offense from the start of last season, so let’s take a look. They have rebuilt parts of the roster through various means, some significantly, others not so much. So, we’ll break down the projected starters and contributors and compare them to last year.
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers OR Mason Rudolph
Starter Last Season: Russell Wilson (intended; Justin Fields started opener due to injury)
This time last year, the Steelers offense had Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen at quarterback. They’re all gone now, though the work is not yet done. They re-signed Mason Rudolph, who will likely start if Aaron Rodgers opts not to sign. Assuming Rodgers does sign, he has to prove he still has something left in the tank after going 5-12 last year with the Jets.
Running Back: Jaylen Warren OR Kaleb Johnson
Starter Last Season: Najee Harris
The Steelers offense started Najee Harris for the past four years, but they parted ways with him this offseason. Retaining Jaylen Warren on a second-round tender, he should open the season as the starter. However, they added Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, who could significantly eat away at his carries.
Wide Receiver: George Pickens, DK Metcalf
Starter Last Season: George Pickens, Van Jefferson
For now, I’m not making a projection for the third receiver in the Steelers’ offense. Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and now veteran Robert Woods are jockeying for position there, and camp should determine who wins out. The Steelers traded for Metcalf to boost the offense, giving up a second-round pick for him. Notably, they passed on the wide receiver position in the draft, however. They also re-signed Ben Skowronek on a two-year deal.
Tight End: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington
Starter Last Season: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington
Pat Freiermuth blossomed a bit in the Steelers’ first year with Arthur Smith’s offense, catching seven touchdowns. But there’s still meat on the bone, as he saw just 78 targets. In comparison, the Steelers offense targeted him 98 times in 2022. Darnell Washington also continues to evolve and could have an even larger role in Year 2 with Arthur Smith.
Offensive Tackle: Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu
Starter Last Season: Dan Moore Jr., Broderick Jones*
I don’t think there’s any dispute here, as they don’t have any other viable options. The Steelers are certainly not going to send their offense out there with Calvin Anderson starting. So they are banking on their former first-round tackles making good on their promise. Broderick Jones has played extensively over the past two years, but will move to left tackle. Troy Fautanu spent almost all of his rookie season on IR. With Dan Moore Jr. gone, their depth is now thin.
Interior Offensive Line: Isaac Seumalo, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick.
Starter Last Season: Isaac Seumalo (intended), Zach Frazier, James Daniels
Until now, the team has given us no reason to believe they are contesting McCormick’s position. They might, with Spencer Anderson or Ryan McCollum, but we assume he will be in the starting lineup for now. The Steelers’ offense benefited from both him and Zach Frazier as rookie starters a year ago. Isaac Seumalo is getting long in the tooth, but remains solid. Rather than re-sign James Daniels, who suffered a season-ending injury, they apparently wanted to go younger—or cheaper.
In all, the Steelers offense will feature a new quarterback, new starting receiver, a new starting running back, whether that’s a new contributor or a rookie, a new starting tackle with the other shifting to a new position, and a new starting right guard. Some of these changes are either somewhat minor (Warren) or took place last year (McCormick). But some changes are quite major, like Metcalf and, potentially, Rodgers.
