The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 offseason was unusual. A mass exodus of free agents with more than 8,100 snaps lost. While Pittsburgh made its outside splashes, they primarily came in the form of trades and signing players cut by other teams, two avenues that don’t work against the Steelers in next year’s compensatory formula. Put it together and the team could have one of its largest hauls ever.
Over the Cap’s Nick Korte is the top expert in everything comp pick related. Tuesday, he offered an updated prediction for what each team will receive for the 2026 draft. As he notes, the compensatory window has been closed since the draft, meaning any future additions won’t change the math.
He projects the Steelers to receive four compensatory selections in next year’s draft.
Third Rounder – OT Dan Moore Jr.
Fourth Rounder – QB Justin Fields
Fifth Rounder – QB Russell Wilson
Sixth Rounder – OG James Daniels
Keep in mind these are current projections and subject to change. Compensatory value is settled by three primary factors: contract, playing time, and production. There remains a chance Fields and Wilson play enough to bump up their value a round. Moore signed a massive $82 million deal as the Tennessee Titans’ new left tackle while Fields and Wilson’s departures set up a brand-new Steelers quarterback room for a second-straight season. Daniels signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the Miami Dolphins.
While Pittsburgh “lost” other free agents like RB Najee Harris and CB Donte Jackson, they currently don’t net the Steelers a compensatory pick. In part, due to their salaries and in part due to the free agent pickups Pittsburgh made that cancel them out. The Steelers signed QB Mason Rudolph and ILB Mailk Harrison this offseason. Bigger acquisitions like signing QB Aaron Rodgers and CB Darius Slay don’t count against the team because their 2024 clubs cut them. Trading for WR DK Metcalf also doesn’t count on the Steelers’ ledger. It’s a “game” general manager Omar Khan admitted he calculated during the offseason.
Add the third rounder the Steelers received from the Dallas Cowboys as part of the George Pickens trade and Pittsburgh should be flush with draft picks come 2026. A draft held in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are expected to be in the market for one of the top quarterbacks of the draft.
The final compensatory list will be announced by the NFL next March. Korte figures to offer another prediction shortly after the season ends and his projections are usually accurate overall.
