The Pittsburgh Steelers had a very active offseason, bringing in DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Rodgers among others. While there’s been some debate about whether or not the Steelers actually got better, former NFL safety Will Blackmon thinks there’s no debate that Pittsburgh is a better team.
“They upgraded at most positions. They upgraded at quarterback, clear as day. You see that, they went and got DK Metcalf, they went and got a true bonafide number one receiver. You lose Minkah [Fitzpatrick], you get Jalen Ramsey. You have probably one of the strongest tight end rooms now with Jonnu Smith and [Pat Freiermuth],” Blackmon said on FS1’s The Facility.
Blackmon also praised Pittsburgh’s running backs, even after losing RB Najee Harris.
“You have a loaded running back in terms of running back by committee with [Jaylen] Warren, you drafted Kaleb Johnson who I think is gonna be a stud in the NFL. So I think overall, they just upgraded at every position.”
He doesn’t believe the Steelers are getting enough respect.
“I think a lot of teams are sleeping on the Steelers.”
There’s rightfully questions about whether or not Rodgers can be the quarterback to lift the Steelers over the hump after a 5-12 campaign with the New York Jets last season. In addition, Pittsburgh’s defense faltered down the stretch in 2024, and adding Metcalf but trading George Pickens has left some questioning whether the Steelers are really better.
But Rodgers showed enough last season to give hope that he’ll be Pittsburgh’s best quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired, Metcalf should be an upgrade over Pickens (and the receiver room as a whole is improved) and the defense got better.
After going 10-7 last season, the Steelers should at least be as good or better, but analysts like Colin Cowherd think the team will be worse. There’s a chance that’s the case, but it’s much less likely than the Steelers improving over 2024. Blackmon laid things out well. They improved pretty much across the board, and if the new talent can mesh together, then the Steelers will be fine. For all the attention the team has received this offseason, enough of it has been negative that it’s fair to say they’re being overlooked a little bit heading into 2025.
The AFC is a tough conference, and the Steelers probably won’t be one of the best two or three teams in the conference. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be a solid team that can contend and maybe make a run, and Blackmon may be proven right that the Steelers aren’t getting enough respect.
