Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers Offseason Needs: Five Positions To Address

James Boutros Sports Editor

Published12 Feb 2025

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The Pittsburgh Steelers once again failed to win a playoff game. They have not won a postseason contest in eight years.

The roster is nowhere near as good as others in the AFC or their division.

This is a big offseason for the Steelers. They must build their roster through NFL free agency and the NFL draft.

Below, we will review the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason needs, whether in free agency or the NFL Draft.

Pittsburgh Steelers Offseason Needs

The Pittsburgh Steelers need a lot to build their roster. They must not be cheap like they normally are and break the bank in free agency to add some players.

Below are five positions the Steelers need to address in the offseason.

Quarterback

The QB position is the biggest need for the Steelers but it comes at a challenging time. No QB in the draft pops out and no QB available in free agency will improve the Steelers’ chances of winning a postseason contest.

Rumors keep circulating that either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields will return in 2025. If it is between the two, Fields makes the most sense. He opens up the playbook more than Russ does. Fields will also demand less money and he knows Arthur Smith’s system from last season. Fields went 4-2 as a starter before Tomlin decided to bench him for Wilson.

The wisest move is to bring Fields back. They can bring him back on a one or two-year deal and draft a QB in the 2026 NFL Draft because it will have more options at the position than this year’s draft.

This move will not help the position improve much in 2025 but Fields will not cost too much and will allow the Steelers to spend and improve other positions of need.

Wide Receiver

Pittsburgh’s wideouts struggled mightily last season. They could not get open and the pass game struggled. The Steelers must spend on WR in free agency and possibly make a trade for a veteran WR.

Deebo Samuel and Cooper Kupp are available via trade. Samuel is rumored to possibly want to go to Pittsburgh. Kupp is not what he used to be but he will still improve the WR room. The Steelers can get either WR for a third-day draft pick and they should try to make this happen.

Tee Higgins may be available via free agency and would be a big boost for the offense. The Steelers would need to spend money which they don’t like to do but things need to change if they want to improve.

George Pickens is unlikely going to be a long-term solution for the Steelers. Drafting a WR in round one or two would be wise as well. The passing game has been atrocious since Ben Roethlisberger retired and they need to improve the WR room.

Defensive Line

There has been a lot of talk about the Steelers possibly drafting a defensive lineman in round one. After watching how the Eagles won the Super Bowl, this is not a bad idea.

Cam Heyward will be 36 years old next season. Larry Ogunjobi is decent but he is no game changer. The Steelers need to add to a weak defensive line and drafting a defensive lineman in round one is the way to go.

The Steelers struggled to pressure the QB in the final few weeks of the season and the wild-card round. They also were gashed on the ground in the final stretch of the season and the postseason.

Running Back

Najee Harris’ fifth-year option was declined and he is likely going to hit the free agency market. This leaves the Steelers with just Jaylen Warren. Warren is a good running back and could be the starter but they need someone to compliment Warren. Warren is not built to play a ton of snaps.

Drafting a running back in round four or later or bringing in a running back via free agency is the way to go. They do not need to spend a lot on a back in free agency or use a top three-round draft pick on the position but adding a running back would be wise.