Welcome back Steelers Nation! After taking a much-needed break, Read & React is back and ready to dive into all the burning questions and discussion the NFL offseason provides.
And what better way to start the offseason than outlining how we would run the Steelers if given the chance? Over the next two weeks — getting in ahead of the Free Agency period — we’ll each put on our GM hat and outline what we would do if we were in Omar Khan’s shoes. While one of us presents our offseason blueprint, the other will poke and prod, and potentially cheer or jeer at our counterpart’s plan.
It’s important to note these are not meant to be predictions of what the Steelers WILL do — though it’s hard not to have that influence our choices to some degree — but rather what WE would do if given full control and final say over Pittsburgh’s roster.
These offseason blueprints will cover everything from managing the current roster, free agency, trades, and the NFL Draft. However, we won’t be talking coaching staff changes as the window for that has seemingly passed.
There’s a lot to get into, so let’s dive in.
RP: Alright, GM Bickley, we’re kicking things off with you. What’s your assessment of the state of the Steelers’ roster? How do you view the franchise’s current trajectory? And how does that influence your team-building philosophy as you approach this offseason?
RB: I’ll talk trajectory first because that informs the rest of this article: Frankly, I see the Steelers continuing to have eight- to ten-win seasons with minimal playoff success until the team finds a true game-changing talent at quarterback. Unfortunately, this is not the offseason to find that player.
The goal is to take a flier at some point because there’s a universe where you find the next Tom Brady, Brock Purdy, etc., but in the spirit of trying to avoid doing this exercise Madden-style, we won’t be trading for Matthew Stafford, Geno Smith, or a first-round pick that lands Cam Ward.
I’d be all-in on trading a Day 2 pick for Stafford, but I still don’t see that happening even if I’ll admit it’s looking more realistic by the week. If it’s not an overpay and the Steelers build a good team around him, I’d be cautiously optimistic — but I still think the Stafford trade rumors are a ploy to get more money from the Rams. We’ll leave that in the rumor mill for now.
Without a surefire franchise quarterback, 2025 looks like a disappointing season for anyone hoping for a Super Bowl right away. However, if you view the NFL as a long game, some exciting stuff can happen.
In a nutshell, my current roster evaluation is that there’s a talent deficiency on offense and an overly top-heavy approach on defense with lots of money spent on aging stars. Again, within the realm of realism, I’ll be trying to build a roster that could go on a playoff run in the upcoming season, but more importantly, working towards constructing a strong, young base for future years.
RP: With that in mind, let’s start with managing the current roster. I’m calling this the “housekeeping” phase of the offseason. Before we dive into signing free agents and drafting future Hall of Famers, how are you cleaning up this roster?
RB: Right. Let’s start with the cuts. The Steelers already saved over $13 million by cutting Preston Smith, but there are a few more moves to free up cap space:
DL Larry Ogunjobi — saves $7 million
P Cam Johnston — saves $1.5 million (Corliss Waitman is still under contract)
RB Cordarrelle Patterson — saves $2.8 million
LB Cole Holcomb — saves $6 million
Using Spotrac’s numbers, that leaves us with just under $70 million in top-51 cap space. That’s more than enough to work with.
I’d like to note I think there’s a strong possibility Holcomb takes a pay cut to stay with the Steelers in 2025, but I won’t pretend to have any insider information regarding his health or any negotiations with the front office. For now, the team will be moving on.
RP: Those are all moves I would make, so there's nothing to squabble about here. Which upcoming free agents are the Steelers retaining in your vision? Is anyone getting an extension?
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
RB: For extensions, we’ll be giving T.J. Watt a three-year, $90 million extension. A few things can be true: His 2024 was a disappointment by his standards, but Watt is still among the league’s top pass-rushers, and of the bunch he might be the best against the run. He’s still a key piece on the defensive front, and the Steelers lock him up for a few more years before the pass-rusher market explodes again.
This might not seem like we’re getting cheaper, but extending Watt before Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson reset the market will save money in the future. And without paying big money for a quarterback this season, we can front-load the deal a bit even if his cap hit will still go down in 2025.
Now for re-signing team free agents:
QB Justin Fields — two years, $30 million
G James Daniels — two years, $15.5 million
LB Elandon Roberts — two years, $5 million
OT Calvin Anderson, CB James Pierre, QB Kyle Allen, WR Ben Skowronek, G Nate Herbig — veteran minimum/near-veteran minimum deals
OLB Jeremiah Moon and C Ryan McCollum (exclusive rights free agents) — minimum deals
RB Jaylen Warren (restricted free agent) — original round tender for one year, $3 million, and right of first refusal (I don’t think Warren has a big enough market to justify more)
As for who we’re letting walk in free agency:
WR Mike Williams, Van Jefferson
CB Donte Jackson, CJ Henderson, Cameron Sutton
RB Najee Harris
TE MyCole Pruitt
QB Russell Wilson
LB Tyler Matakevich
OL Max Scharping, Dan Moore Jr.
DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
S Damontae Kazee
Some back-of-the-napkin Spotrac math gives us around $60 million in cap space to work with entering free agency.
RP: You went with Fields over Wilson. We’ve talked a bunch about these two quarterbacks over the past year, but we owe it to the people to put a bow on this discussion. I also see you’re bringing Kyle Allen back. Walk us through your thought process at quarterback.
RB: We’ve talked enough about the Fields/Wilson dilemma during the season so I’ll keep my explanation short — with Fields you have a cheaper, higher-upside (and greater downside) option who offers the sort of variance the Steelers should be looking for to break the loop they're currently in. Plus, Fields’ mobility seems to be preferred by Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. To be clear, I don’t see Fields as the next franchise quarterback at the moment, but I do think he’s the most likely to fill that role of the current realistic options.
As for Allen, he’ll be cheap and I like what we saw of him during his limited snaps in 2024. He’s not guaranteed a roster spot with Skylar Thompson under contract, but bringing back Allen and Fields keeps some stability in a quarterback room that had major turnover last offseason.
RP: Lastly, before moving on to Free Agency, were any of the other players tough cuts for you?
RB: Not particularly. It’s a little tough to see Najee Harris go after all he’s given the Steelers, but I think it’s time to mix up the running back room. I’d keep my eye on the markets of Mike Williams, Van Jefferson, and maybe even Donte Jackson and Dan Moore Jr. if they can be signed as cheap depth later on, but the focus right now needs to be on upgrades.
RP: Well it’s out with the old, in with the new at several spots then. I promise not to linger on the QBs any longer after this, but with Fields inking an extension and Kyle Allen returning, is it safe to say the Steelers won’t be signing any QBs? And James Daniels is a bit of a surprising call back, considering how his 2024 played out. Could you explain that move a little?
RB: Looking at the current list of quarterbacks set to be free agents, we’ll stay put at the position for now. It’s just not an exciting group, especially as I don’t see a Sam Darnold experiment succeeding in Pittsburgh.
As for James Daniels, he was a top priority for me even if it seems unlikely the Steelers will want him back in real life. I can dream a little bit here, right?
Daniels is just 27 years old and has been arguably Pittsburgh’s best lineman when healthy. He won’t break the bank, especially coming off of last year’s injury, and the extension keeps the Steelers starting O-line intact after a tumultuous 2024. After all the resources Pittsburgh has poured into this group, I think 2025 is the year where they get a shot to figure things out. Plus, Mason McCormick gets a year as the top interior backup. There are still some questions at tackle, but I feel really good about the guard and center scenario entering 2025.
RP: It’s time to expand our view. With the current roster managed, next up is Free Agency. Walk us through your process and highlight who you’d bring in for 2025. Were there any position groups you preferred filling through this period as opposed to the draft?
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
RB: It’s a great draft class at defensive line but that position group remained my top priority in free agency. It’s such a big need, meaning you don’t want to wait for the uncertainty of the draft to start shoring it up.
As a result, the headlining name in the Steelers’ free agent class will be former Eagles defensive lineman Milton Williams. His estimated market value is all over the place, but I guarantee it’s going to be higher than many expect after his great postseason performance. I settled on a three-year, $57 million deal.
Look, the goal was to get younger and a bit cheaper on the defense, and this only fulfills one of those (Williams is just 25). However, defensive line is a premium position and Cam Heyward’s Steelers career is nearing its end. This is a worthy investment, and the Pittsburgh pass rush of Watt, Williams, Heyward, and Highsmith is going to be incredible in 2025.
Beyond that, we’ll have a few more notable signings in the first round of free agency:
That still leaves us with roughly $45 million in cap space entering the draft. Frankly, the Steelers have more space than they should reasonably spend, but I’m comfortable letting plenty of cap roll over in 2026 when the quarterback situation is hopefully ironed out.
RP: Looking at your signings, I’m happy to tease ahead for our readers that they will be getting a different set of names next week when my list comes out. Love the Slayton signing and Williams makes a ton of sense. Any concern about a bidding war for him after he seemingly went from unsung hero to top Free Agency prize by the end of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl run?
RB: There’s definitely a concern there, but I think I accounted for it with a $19 million average per year, which I’m sure will raise some eyebrows. The Steelers have the money to spend a lot on Williams though, and I doubt the bidding war will get too out of hand with an absurdly stacked draft class at the position. However, Williams’ stock skyrocketing helps the Steelers in a way as I’m near-certain he’s priced himself out of Philadelphia.
RP: Tommy Tremble becomes the Steelers gazillionth tight end on the roster. What’s his story?
RB: I’m allowed to splurge a bit with the amount of cap space the Steelers have. I went with Tremble, a player I liked coming out of college, and he’s developed into a competent pro. Beyond that, Arthur Smith is around for at least another year and he was giving names like MyCole Pruitt and Connor Heyward significant snaps in 2024 — if that heavy tight end usage is going to continue, let’s give the team a better playmaker and blocker.
Tremble was profiled by many as a possible H-back/fullback type coming out of college, and following a disappointing 2024 from Connor Heyward I think Tremble could take over that multipurpose role. He’s a high-effort, nasty blocker in the run game and a good athlete as a receiver.
Tommy Tremble was quietly one of the most fundamentally sound players on the field Sunday.
Snap count by alignment:
Inline: 29
Slot: 13
Wide: 3
Was in as a run blocker on 18 snaps–made a great block on a Sanders in the RZ, and scored his 3rd rec TD of '23 on the next play. pic.twitter.com/JmgorA6KsV
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) November 21, 2023
RP: What can you tell us about Hobbs?
RB: I wanted a nickel corner and settled on Hobbs as the former Raider has connections to the Steelers’ new secondary coach, Gerald Alexander (I’d like to note I made this connection before it was cool when brainstorming for this article). Hobbs also brings some boundary versatility as the Steelers still have a gaping hole at CB2. Beanie Bishop Jr. flashed at times in 2024, but Pittsburgh is missing some talent in the slot.
RP: I’ll note there are no offensive linemen, other than retaining Daniels.
RB: The Steelers’ projected starting five on the O-line are two first-round picks, one second-round pick, and two mid-level free agent signings. As I mentioned before, 2025 is a sink-or-swim year to see if spending all those resources paid off. I think the interior is pretty secure with McCormick and Herbig as the top backups, but Pittsburgh should have their eye on more depth at offensive tackle. However, I’m willing to wait for the draft or the second round of free agency for that.
RP: OK, now it’s time for the most fluid part of the offseason. Walk us through your draft. I’ll note for readers that we’re doing this pre-Combine so there is likely plenty of movement still to come in that regard.
Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
RB: Here’s the draft haul (I used the current consensus I’ve seen on sites like NFL Mock Draft Database, simulators, and such for the general idea of who-goes-where, even though I made some adjustments based on my own evaluations):
1. CB Benjamin Morrison — Notre Dame
2. RB Quinshon Judkins — Ohio State
3. WR Jayden Higgins — Iowa State
4. NT Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon
5. OT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Florida
7. QB Tyler Shough — Louisville
7. RB Jordan James — Oregon
We’re going with two seventh-round picks instead of three as that’s what the Steelers beat writers are saying.
The Milton Williams signing really frees up the Steelers’ first-round pick — wide receiver is a strong contender here (and D-line is still in the picture) — but I figured I’d address the biggest need not signed in free agency: outside cornerback.
Morrison has seemingly slid under the radar in much of the Steelers draft discourse, and I can see why: He missed a lot of 2024 with injury, and when he was healthy, the tape didn’t scream first-rounder.
However, despite being just 20 years old, he’s a three-year college starter who excelled during his first two campaigns at Notre Dame. He’s a good athlete with OK size at 6’0, 190 pounds. He brings the same skills to the table as the departing Donte Jackson with speed and ball skills (nine interceptions in his first two seasons), but with a lot more upside and a polished game in man coverage.
Most mock drafts I’ve seen have Morrison available when the Steelers pick. Again, I get the trepidation following 2024, but I think he can be a steal.
RP: You have the Steelers doing a heavily offense-focused draft. Did you head into this process with that in mind, or did that come into shape later? Talk to us about Higgins and Judkins. How do you see them fitting in with the Steelers?
RB: That’s just sort of how it materialized. Outside of boundary corner, most of the needs that had to be addressed via the draft were on offense. On Day 3, it’s more about BPA than anything. I went with offense, but it could absolutely be defense in the real thing.
The Judkins pick is going to be a bit controversial, and even I’ve become a little disillusioned with the top-end talent of this supposedly excellent running back class — it’s really deep, but not generational! Still, the Steelers need to get out of Day 2 with one of the top big backs available. Trust me, Mike Tomlin is not entering 2025 without some power in the running back room.
I went with Judkins, although if Kaleb Johnson is available here I’d certainly consider it. Here’s the thing: Judkins and his Ohio State teammate TreVeyon Henderson had a successful Najee Harris/Jaylen Warren-esque committee, and I think the Steelers will like how he fits in that role.
Still, don’t be worried about getting a Harris carbon copy — Judkins has more agility and is a far more decisive runne. He can make those quick cuts behind the line of scrimmage and has the phone booth quickness Harris never showed in Pittsburgh, but he still packs a lot of power and finishes runs tough. His long speed is going to be a knock on his profile, but Judkins has the skill set of a starting NFL running back and should pair well with Warren in the Steelers’ backfield.
It feels like Quinshon Judkins doesn’t get the credit he deserves for how explosive he can be.
He has a natural ability to constantly accelerate and break tackles with ease. pic.twitter.com/JuPvuUPvgE
— Jeremy (@PopesFFH) February 7, 2025
As for Higgins, I’ll first address the complaints of him going in the third. Yes, his draft stock has risen a good bit in recent weeks, but I think he absolutely could be available this late with a number of solid receivers expected to go on Day 2. There’s a lot I love about his game, but he repeatedly struggles to separate downfield. Guys who run faster at the combine will probably go a bit earlier. If Higgins runs well I’ll admit I’m wrong, but this early in the draft process the projections are a bit murky.
As for what I like about his game, there’s a lot. Most importantly, it’s fit. Unless we’re talking a blue-chip talent, another small, fast receiver would be redundant for a Steelers team that already has Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson. At 6’4, 217 pounds, Higgins has a much different game. However, his quickness is exceptional for his size and he has the ability to play on the outside as well as in a power slot role.
Now, the Steelers’ wide receiver room has a range of talent: Pickens and Slayton as the versatile starters who can make plays downfield, Austin and Wilson as the smaller, quick slot receivers, Higgins as the chain-mover, and Skowronek as the special teams/utility receiver.
RP: I’ve rooted for the University of Oregon since birth — my parents met on campus — so it warms my heart to see you taking two Ducks, even though you’re a Beavers fan. I’ve increasingly felt that “Draft one of them Oregon dudes upfront,” is going to be a mantra I’m repeating as we get closer to April. What can you tell us about Caldwell and James?
RB: I’ll save face here by saying I thought long and hard about taking former Beaver Damien Martinez if this draft had gone in a different direction, but instead we ended up with two Ducks.
The Milton Williams signing lowered the need at defensive line, but Philadelphia’s Super Bowl run showed that there’s no such thing as too many good defensive lineman; I’m sure the Steelers, as well as former Eagles Vice President of Player Personnel Andy Weidl, agree. The beauty of this deep D-line draft is that a player like Jamaree Caldwell is still expected to be available in this range.
Williams, at 290-ish pounds, will be a defensive end in the Steelers’ defense. Caldwell, at 340 pounds, gives the team a true nose tackle. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from his game, with a lot more juice than you’d expect as a pass rusher while still being a near-immovable object against the run.
The James pick is just me looking at a late-round flier in this deep running back class. He’s a little undersized without true home-run speed, but was a 1,200-yard rusher in the Big Ten with good movement skills and an attitude. Sign me up.
RP: I think James is a solid flier; many of the same comments were made about Bucky Irving last year, and he just had a phenomenal rookie season for Tampa. You have the Steelers taking a swing at a QB on Day 3 with another former Duck. I’m not sure if Tyler Shough will still be available then based on the current hype. Would you draft a QB for the Steelers even if Shough is off the board?
RB: Shough may not be available at this slot as quarterback draft stock is impossible to predict, but I’d like to publicly disavow the Day 2 and (checks notes) first round (!??) rumors for him I’ve seen lately. This is a classic case of draft discourse ruining a fun Day 3 sleeper by taking the hype too far. Shough turns 26 in September and didn’t play a full season until year seven in college — I’m still very comfortable with my seventh-round projection.
That being said, I partly understand the hype — I’m drafting the guy — as his arm talent can really stand out:
But to answer the question, if Shough isn’t here we’re still absolutely taking a quarterback at some point on Day 3. Without a ton of confidence in Justin Fields, you have to try something even if it’s a late-round dart throw.
RP: OK, last but not least, you’ve got some late-stage free agents you’re signing. Can you give us some highlights? I see you’re adding some pass rush depth.
Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images
RB: We’ll be rounding out the roster with a few late signings:
Uche managed an 11.5-sack season in 2022 but never took the next step towards being a star, ending 2024 as a gameday inactive for the Chiefs. Still, I’ve always been a fan of his smooth, quick pass-rushing style and I think he could still see success as a rotational outside linebacker. The Steelers always need depth at this position, and Uche shores up what’s looking like a dominant front seven.
RB Raheem Mostert – one year, $2 million
With an incredibly deep running back class in the draft, I don’t expect the soon-to-be-33-year-old Mostert to demand much of a market. Still, he’d be worth adding if the price is right. Mostert is only one year removed from an 18-touchdown campaign with 4.8 yards per attempt in 2023. He’ll bring some home-run speed and veteran zone running experience into a very young Steelers running back room. A gig with limited carries to preserve his explosiveness is the ideal way for Mostert to spend his final years in the NFL.
Even at 32 years old Raheem Mostert is still a threat to go the distance on any play. The pre-snap motion moves the LBs over on the offset zone and Mostert does a good job of finding the hole and hitting it hard. pic.twitter.com/76FLgOyb9Q
— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) May 27, 2024
S Ashtyn Davis – one year, $1.5 million
Davis has connections to new Steelers secondary coach Gerald Alexander, and with the team looking for some depth at safety, the signing makes a lot of sense (and has been making the rounds on Steelers Twitter — I can’t take credit for this idea). Davis is a physical player who spent a lot of time in the box for the Jets, but he also recorded two interceptions in 2024 and has plenty of speed as a former scholarship track athlete in college. Plus, he’s an ace special teamer with 679 special teams snaps over the last two years. Used to playing all over the place as a third safety for the Jets last season, Davis will fit right into a similar role with the Steelers.
ILB Isaiah Simmons – one year, $2 million
Simmons is a former top-10 pick, drafted to be a defensive chess piece as an uber-athletic safety-turned-linebacker. As you can deduce by the projected contract above, he never lived up to the hype. However, you can’t tell me that a 6’4, 238-pound linebacker who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash won’t be an intriguing reclamation project for Mike Tomlin. At just 26 years old, there still might be some upside with Simmons, but at the very least he brings some talent on special teams. Simmons has played 370 snaps on special teams over the last two years and even blocked a field goal in 2024.
As for cap space, we’re intentionally not wasting time on the minutia of contract structure as we’re nowhere close to hitting the ceiling. After signing all the free agents and draft class, we still enter the offseason with roughly $40 million available.
Final roster
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images
*New additions bolded
Offense (25)
QB: Justin Fields, Kyle Allen, Tyler Shough
RB: Jaylen Warren, Quinshon Judkins, Raheem Mostert
WR: George Pickens, Darius Slayton, Jayden Higgins, Roman Wilson, Calvin Austin III, Ben Skowronek
TE: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Tommy Tremble, Donald Parham Jr.
OT: Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Dylan Cook
OG: Isaac Seumalo, James Daniels, Mason McCormick
C: Zach Frazier, Nate Herbig
Defense (25)
DL: Cam Heyward, Milton Williams, Keeanu Benton, Jamaree Caldwell, Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams, DeMarvin Leal
OLB: TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Josh Uche
LB: Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Elandon Roberts, Isaiah Simmons
CB: Joey Porter Jr., Benjamin Morrison, Cory Trice Jr., James Pierre
NCB: Nate Hobbs, Beanie Bishop Jr.
S: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Ashtyn Davis, Ryan Watts
Specialists (3)
K: Chris Boswell
P: Corliss Waitman
LS: Christian Kuntz
Total: 53
I won’t be putting together a full practice squad in this exercise, but Jordan James, Jeremiah Moon, Ryan McCollum, and Calvin Anderson will be circling back here. Names like Isaiahh Loudermilk, Connor Heyward, and Spencer Anderson could also end up back with the Steelers thanks to the NFL’s veteran eligibility rules.
And that’s a wrap, folks. Now it’s time to hear from you, Steelers Nation. We’ve got some questions for you! Give us your answers in the comments below.
What do you think of Ryland’s plan at QB? Is Fields the Steelers' best answer for 2025?
Did Bickley cut anyone that surprised you?
What was your favorite signing he made? Least favorite? Is there a move he didn’t make that you would?
Grade Bickley’s draft. Would you be happy with those selections?
Give us your overall evaluation of Ryland’s GM work. Do you think this makes the Steelers better? About the same?
