The Pittsburgh Steelers have been stuck in mediocrity since Ben Roethlisberger retired. In the four seasons since the legendary NFL quarterback retired, the Steelers have gone 9-8 or better. But each time they’ve made the playoffs, they’ve fallen in the Wild Card Round.

Now the road gets even harder for Pittsburgh. Legendary head coach Mike Tomlin officially departed from the team after the 2025 season, and Mike McCarthy will be taking over head coaching duties. With a new head coach for the first time in nearly 20 years, what would the perfect offseason look like for the Steelers?

Who to Cut?

Our only notable cut will be linebacker Patrick Queen. The former LSU linebacker didn’t play well in 2025, and cutting him will save $13.3 million in cap space.

Since we already went into the offseason with $46 million open in cap space, we also won’t be making any big moves with restructures. We restructured T.J. Watt’s contract, saving $17.5 m this season.

With both moves, we have $76.8 million to spend in free agency.

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Free Agency

Our first big signing of free agency is adding wide receiver Jauan Jennings to a three-year, $42 million contract. Jennings has been a solid wideout with the San Francisco 49ers and will be a great fit opposite DK Metcalf.

Next, we add a few veteran free agents on defense, adding cornerback Marshon Lattimore to a two-year $20 million deal and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to a one-year $9.5 million deal. We also signed safety Taylor Rapp to a two-year, $12 million deal.

Next, we add to our offense, signing Travis Etienne to a two-year, $16 million deal.

Our final signing of free agency is the long-awaited question: who’s our quarterback? It is, of course, Aaron Rodgers, who will be returning for one more season, this time under his former head coach. We sign Rodgers to a one-year deal.

The Draft

Now that free agency has wrapped up, it’s time to utilize the Steelers’ five picks within the first three rounds.

1.21 DL Peter Woods, Clemson

The Steelers’ bread and butter has been their defense, so it’s no surprise that we bolster their defensive line. We drafted Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods.

Woods is an athletic defensive tackle, but has a lot of development to go. He entered the 2025 season as a projected top-10 pick, but a lack of production saw his stock fall. He fits in well with the dangerous Pittsburgh defensive line.

2.53 CB Keionte Scott, Miami

Miami cornerback Keionte Scott‘s draft has been rising recently, and we snag him with the 53rd overall pick.

Scott is a slot cornerback but has the versatility to play anywhere. He could rush the quarterback, play in the box, and is solid in coverage. If the Steelers want to play him on the boundary, he’ll need more development, but he is a versatile grab in the second round.

3.76 WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State

Wide receiver Ted Hurst is one of the best Group of Five wideouts in college football and fittingly will be one of the earliest taken in the draft.

Hurst combines size (6-foot-4) with speed, running a 4.42 at the 2026 NFL Combine. Despite signing Jennings in free agency, adding Hurst is insurance if the relationship with Metcalf goes sour.

3.85 DT Darrell Jackson Jr, Florida State

Darrell Jackson Jr.’s size is what makes him stand out, standing at 6-foot-5 1/2 and 315 lbs.

Jackson’s size is hard for guards to match up against, and his 7-foot-2 wingspan allows him to get hands on the offensive line before they can get to him. While he’s shown the ability to rush the passer, Jackson will be more of a threat as a run stopper.

3.99 QB Drew Allar, Penn State

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was a potential first-round pick last year if he had declared. Allar opted to stay in college and suffered a significant knee injury. He didn’t play as well in 2025 when he was healthy.

With NFL scouts at one point viewing Allar as a first-round pick, we take a chance on the 6-foot-5 quarterback. He’ll have a year to sit under Rodgers and could eventually be our starter if he beats out Will Howard.

Recap

Additions:

• WR Jauan Jennings
• CB Marshon Lattimore
• DT Sheldon Rankins
• S Taylor Rapp
• RB Travis Etienne

Losses:

• LB Patrick Queen

With it being our final season with Rodgers, we build the roster with a win-now mentality. We add plenty of veteran talents and look to replicate the Seattle Seahawks‘ Super Bowl win, winning with an elite defense and a serviceable offense.