I never write about other teams but this started as a BlueSky post and thought this could be an interesting exercise. Plus, the Steelers are my second team after living there for many years and being married to a Steeler fan.
The pitchforks are out for Mike Tomlin after the Steelers lost their 5th straight but the anger is misplaced. Sure, some of what Tomlin does drives me nuts but I actually think he’s outperformed what other coaches would have done with this roster over the past several years – they’ve had receivers and a defensive line, but no QB, no OL, an average secondary for years.
The issue is the Steelers 1980s-era approach to roster building.
So I thought, what could be more fun than thinking “how would today’s most forward-thinking GM – Howie Roseman – fix the Steelers?” So let’s go.
Laying out the reality of the Steelers situation
The Steelers have been lying to themselves, thinking they have a better team than they actually did, since the end of the “Ben is actually good still” era. So, first, the Steelers need to be honest with where they:
- They have no plan at QB – it won’t get fixed in one year, but they need a near-term plan with upside and to gain future assets to obtain a QB if needed
- They invest upside-down and seem to have no understanding of positional value and the realities of today’s market-based league
- They’ve set their draft capital on fire over the past 5 years, either drafting dumb positions high or reaching for needs or both
- Most of their stars aren’t going to be here or young enough when you can actually compete
- There is some issue in the locker room that needs to be dealt with
How Howie fixes the Steelers
This is not a Penguins-tanking-for-Leimeiux level rebuild. We are going to try to compete every year but we are going to make some tough decisions and stay within these guardrails:
1. Take advantage of teams in trades
Since QB is our main issue, first we need some draft capital. When Howie wasn’t sure if he had a QB, he built a war chest of picks – in 2022, they accumulated three 1st rounders as a hedge for Hurts not being the guy. Maybe you can get this in trades, maybe not, but you get a 2026 1st somehow – eat more money, throw in another pick or player, somehow.
Trade TJ Watt for a 2026 1st rounder
It’s crazy to trade a franchise icon, but he’s one of the only pieces of value you have and is going to be a free agent next off-season. Now with two 2026 1sts, the Steelers have ammunition to move up next year in what looks to be a better QB class with Arch Manning, Nico Iamaleava, LaNorris Sellers, and Garrett Nussmeier all likely 1st rounders.
Trade Pat Freiermuth for a 2025 2nd rounder
The other trade value you have. If somebody overpays in a TJ Hockenson-type trade, I take it. Else I will just keep him.
2. Have a plan at QB
The Steelers aren’t going to fix their QB issue this off-season without lucking into guy as the top free agent is Sam Darnold and they pick 21st, nowhere close enough to make a move up. But they need a plan with multiple avenues for success.
Re-sign QB Justin Fields (3 year / $40M with $20M gtd)
Is he the long-term answer? Maybe, maybe not, but he was an elite college QB and never given a shot in the NFL with terrible lines and no weapons. He actually played well 5 of his 6 games with the Steelers and I have no idea why he was benched for old-man Russ. Sign him for 3 years with a 2-year out, see what he does next year and if he isn’t the guy, you have draft ammunition next year to move up.
Start the QB factory baby! Draft QB Kyle McCord in the 5th round
For any Steelers readers, Howie is famous for claiming they wanted to be a QB factory after surprisingly drafting Jalen Hurts in 2020 after just paying Carson Wentz. And we all had to apologize as he was right. He took a QB in 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2023 and turned both broken-down Wentz and Sam Bradford into 1st round picks in trades.
3. Fix the offensive line
It’s complete malpractice the Steelers have committed with the OL – prior to Andy Weidl being hired in 2022, the Steelers hadn’t used a R1 or R2 pick on OL since 2012 when they took a guard (!?) in the 1st and swung-and-missed on a tackle in the 2nd. Their “best” offensive linemen has been Isaac Seumalo who is good, but a backup on a good team.
Draft R1-22 OT Josh Simmons, Ohio St
Yes, I know they just drafted Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu in back-to-back years, but Jones has been bad and I 100% think Fautanu is a guard in the NFL, not a tackle (see here on why). Move Fautanu to OG where he’ll be better and let Simmons and Jones battle it out for RT. It’s a bad OL year with a lot of guys that won’t stick at OT, but Simmons is the one guy I think could become a franchise guy.
Sign LT Cam Robinson 3 years, $60M ($28M gtd)
We are going from having no tackles to too many, but I don’t care what draft capital you used on Broderick Jones, he’s been so bad after 2 seasons, you have to have another plan there. And of course, we will push a lot of this contract out as Howie does.
Here’s their new 2025 OL depth chart with changes in bold and their 2024 grades in parentheses:
| LT | LG | OC | RG | RT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Robinson (65) Calvin Anderson (69) | Isaac Seumalo (66) Spencer Anderson (57) | Zack Frazier (78) Ryan McCollum (50) | Troy Fautanu (IR) Mason McCormick (58) | Josh Simmons (R) Broderick Jones (58) |
4. Surround your QB with talent
The single superpower the Steelers have is picking WRs (and probably DL). They aren’t in terrible shape here but I also think their WR group isn’t as good as most Steelers fans think with only one real weapon.
Draft R2-54 WR Matthew Golden, Texas
George Pickens is great but he needs help and the Steelers need a separator with speed.
Sign WR Chris Godwin for 3 year, $70M ($40M gtd)
He has the ankle dislocation but is probably the best overall option besides Tee Higgins. He’s versatile, consistent, a great locker room guy, not over 30, and was very good prior to his injury. And, we don’t care if he is ready for the start of the season.
5. Embrace positional value
No more 1st round RBs or LBs or SAFs. Stop spending stupid money on punters and over-priced guards. Fill in the roster with cheap 1-year deals. Extend your key guys early and use the cap to an advantage.
Release / trade the roster mistakes
Maybe you can get some day 3 picks here, but we are un-doing the dumb roster decisions by getting rid of Minkah and Patrick Queen. These two moves free up $21M of cap space.
Say goodbye to a bunch of guys
The Steelers have 24 free agents this year and a lot of the big names we let go – Russ, Najee Harris, Dan Moore, Cam Sutton, and Donte Jackson all go. There’s an issue in the locker room, likely the secondary, and if I missed who that it, add them to the list.
Extend key guys ahead of free agency
Unfortunately, the recent draft picks that are coming up on the end of their rookie deals are either gone or questionable on if you keep them. But there are a couple:
- This off-season, you bring back Jaylen Warren and James Daniels if you can do so affordably
- George Pickens hits free agency in 2026, extend him this off-season
- Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton, Nick Herbig, and Darnell Washington all are eligible for extensions after 2025 and plan for those
2025 mock draft
We already made a couple of picks above, but I’ll put the entire draft here including the 2nd rounder we picked up in the Freiermuth trade
All premium positions through the first 4 picks and 3 rounds… picking up a TE in this deep class in the 4th… “QB factory” in the 5th… another interior OL in the 6th when it’s one of the better positions to hit on late… and a RB late.
- R1 – OT Josh Simmons, Ohio St
- R2 – WR Matthew Golden, Texas
- R2 – EDGE Bradyn Swinson, LSU
- R3 – CB Azareye’h Thomas, Florida St
- R4 – TE Oronde Gadsden, Syracuse
- R5 – QB Kyle McCord, Syracuse
- R6 – OG Miles Frazier, LSU
- R7 – RB Raheim Sanders, Cincinnati
Are they fixed? No. But the Steelers now have around $70M of free cap space in 2025 and $160M in 2026… a luxury Howie never has in Philly. There’s a ton more the Steelers can do in free agency.