The Steelers since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger have been up and down and have lacked stability from a quarterback standpoint. Mike Tomlin is still a very good head coach and the Steelers with him at the helm have been consistently solid on a year-to-year basis even without the star quarterback. The team as currently constructed does not have a starting caliber quarterback on their roster but Pittsburgh is a prime candidate to acquire veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers or draft a quarterback in the first or second round. Outside of the quarterback position the team is in pretty good shape however as the defense is elite as it often is with defensive minded head coach Mike Tomlin and the offensive personnel is also respectable. I still however question that even with the presence of Rodgers on the roster if the team is capable of contending for a title. As the team went home early and looked very meager in their playoff loss with Russell Wilson at the helm a season ago. I have my doubts if a 41 going on 42 year old Aaron Rodgers is that much of an upgrade over the team’s quarterback spot from a year ago. Also, a young quarterback like Jaxson Dart or Shedeur Sanders are far from generational prospects and the team would also certainly not be in position to contend for a title in year 1 with a rookie like that at the helm.
On the offensive side of the ball the Steelers struggled at times a season ago going through two different starting quarterbacks. Justin Fields went 4-2 in the first six games and Russell Wilson finished the regular season 6-5 and lost in his first postseason game to the Ravens. The Steelers offensive ranks for this past regular season can be found below.
Steelers 2024 Offensive Ranks
16th in points per game
23rd in yards per game
19th in offense grade according to Pro Football Focus
As you can see from the above data, the Steelers were a pretty mediocre offensive team by any stretch of the imagination this past season. Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are both talented but there is a reason that both those players are journeyman quarterbacks at this point in their careers at least. A flawed quarterback with average caliber offensive personnel like the Steelers had a season ago is not necessarily a formula for success in all honesty. Heading into next season the Steelers have added star-wide out D.K Metcalf to bolster the offensive personnel and are optimistic that potentially Aaron Rodgers can be a substantial upgrade at the QB spot. The Steelers offensive personnel heading into next season can be found below. I have included the offense grade that each player was assigned over the 2024 season by Pro Football Focus. I have also included my own subjective grade of each player that indicates how strong of players they are in totality outside of just 2024.
Steelers offensive line starters
LT – Broderick Jones – (68/87) offense grade in 2024 over 1071 snaps, C so far as 2023 1st rounder
LG – Isaac Seumalo – (26/83) offense grade in 2024 over 826 snaps, B to B+
C – Zach Frazier – (6/43) offense grade in 2024 over 975 snaps, A so far as 2024 2nd rounder
RG – Mason McCormick – (59/83) offense grade in 2024 over 936 snaps, C so far as 2024 4th rounder
RT – Troy Fautanu – (52/87) offense grade in 2024 over 55 snaps, C so far as 2024 1st rounder
Steelers offensive line reserves
G – Spencer Anderson – (73/83) offense grade in 2024 over 311 snaps, C
T – Calvin Anderson – (70/87) offense grade in 2024 over 11 snaps, C
C – Ryan McCollum – (43/43) offense grade in 2024 over 153 snaps, D
G – Steven Jones – undrafted 2024, 0 career snaps
T – Doug Nester – undrafted 2024, 0 career snaps
T – Dylan Cook – undrafted 2022, 0 career snaps
G – Lecitus Smith – poor in 210 career snaps all in 2022
G – Max Scharping – only 7 snaps in 2024, C
Steelers offensive lineman from 2024 not currently or no longer on team
T – Dan Moore Jr – (44/87) offense grade in 2024 over 1111 snaps, C
G – James Daniels – (2/83) offense grade in 2024 over 209 snaps, B+
Steelers 2024 key offensive line metrics
24th in pass blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus
9th in run blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus
25th in sacks allowed
26th in pass blocking efficiency
As you can see from the above the Steelers struggled on the offensive line a season ago as outside of run blocking grade, they ranked near the bottom of the league in all the remaining categories. These struggles can be attributed to the youth on the offensive line as they started two rookies and another second-year player. Heading into next season the offensive line can expect to take a big step forward because of the development of these young players. Center Zach Frazier was excellent as a rookie as in his first season in the NFL he ranked among the best centers in the league despite being a rookie. Right guard Mason McCormick who was a 4th round pick before last season had a solid rookie season where although he ranked below average in terms of offense grade in totality, he still showed a ton of promise. He ranked (23/83) in terms of pass blocking efficiency among qualified guards but struggled in terms of run blocking. He certainly can put it all together and be a solid starter if not more than that for Pittsburgh heading into next season. Dan Moore Jr and Broderick Jones started for the team at tackle a season ago. Moore Jr gave the team average caliber production and has since departed the team. Broderick Jones was a 2023 first round pick who has unfortunately really underwhelmed in each of his first two NFL seasons. Perhaps going into year 3 he can maybe right the ship and start to perform closer to a first-round pick and be a solid starter if not more than that for Pittsburgh. The team lacks depth from an offensive line standpoint as all the reserves currently on their roster are not in a position to give the Steelers anything more than mediocre production up front. Adding depth to the offensive front should be a point of emphasis heading into the draft for the Steelers. Ultimately the Steelers were a pretty meager offensive line a season ago but can expect to really improve heading into next season. The improvement on the offensive line that the team should be optimistic it can see stems from young players developing. I have conducted a similar analysis of the team’s skill position players which can be found below.
Steelers Skill Position Starters
WR1 – D.K Metcalf – (33/110) offense grade in 2024 in 15 games for Seattle, B+
WR2 – George Pickens – (27/110) offense grade in 2024 in 14 games, B+
WR3 – Calvin Austin III – (76/110) offense grade in 2024 in 17 games, C
TE1 – Pat Freiermuth – (19/45) offense grade in 2024 in 17 games, B+ to A-
HB1 – Jaylen Warren – (43/58) offense grade in 2024 in 15 games, B to B-
Steelers Skill Position Reserves
WR4 – Roman Wilson – 5 career snaps, 2024 3rd rounder
WR5 – Scotty Miller – (88/110) offense grade in 2024 in 11 games, C to C-
WR6 – Ben Skowronek – (60/110) offense grade in 2024 in 9 games, C-
WR7 – Brandon Johnson – (70/110) offense grade in 2024 in 3 games, C
WR8 – Lance McCutcheon – 0 career rec, undrafted 2022
TE2 – Darnell Washington – (10/45) offense grade in 2024 in 17 games, B to B+ in limited snaps
TE3 – Connor Heyward – (44/45) offense grade in 2024 in 16 games, C to C+
TE4 – Donald Parham Jr – DNP in 2024, C+ to B-
HB2 – Kenneth Gainwell – (57/58) offense grade in 2024 in 17 games for Eagles, C
HB3 – Cordarrelle Patterson – (39/58) offense grade in 2024 in 12 games, C to C+
HB4 – Jonathan Ward – C in very limited career snaps
Steelers Skill Position Players from 2024 not currently or no longer on team
WR – Van Jefferson – (105/110) offense grade in 2024 in 17 games, C to C+, now on Tenn
WR – Mike Williams – (103/110) offense grade in 2024 in 18 games for Jets and Pitt, C+, now on LAC
TE – Rodney Williams – 0 career rec, currently free agent
TE – Mycole Pruitt – (41/45) offense grade in 2024 in 12 games, C+ to B-, currently free agent
HB – Najee Harris – (12/58) offense grade in 2024 in 17 games, B, now on LAC
As you can see from the above data the Steelers have a strong collection of skill position players. This past season George Pickens gave the Steelers a lot of high-end capabilities from the wide out spot but the teams remaining wide receivers really lacked surrounding him. To address that issue, they have since signed star-wide out D.K Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks to pair with Pickens. Both players have proven to be very good but neither one has proven to be a star as of yet. Perhaps either one of the two players in better offensive circumstances can take the next step forward. Regardless of whether or not that occurs the pairing will form one of the better if not one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL. Tight end Pat Freiermuth is one of the more underrated players in the NFL and in better circumstances I think could certainly emerge as one of the household names at tight end. In 3 of his 4 seasons in the NFL he has ranked above average in terms of an offense grade among qualified tight ends including a top 5 ranking on one occasion. This has been with average if not less than average quarterback play. Just like with the two wide outs perhaps Freiermuth in more ideal offensive circumstance can start to emerge as a star. At running back, the team has to deal with the loss of Najee Harris who was the only running back in the whole NFL with 4 straight 1,000-yard seasons. His understudy from a season ago in Jaylen Warren has looked very effective for very long stretches thus far in the NFL and will now be the primary running back. How he will perform as the primary back remains a question mark but given how effective he has looked in the past which included rushing for almost 800 yards on 5.3 yards per attempt while being graded (13/60) in terms of offense grade, the team should be optimistic he can fill the shoes of Harris. Perhaps the Steelers can still look to the NFL draft to find a true number one running back to allow Warren to thrive in a complementary role. The team in regards to depth at the skill positions is however lacking everywhere except at tight end. Adding some depth from a skill position standpoint should also be a point of emphasis as the NFL draft approaches.
In totality on the offensive side of the ball the Steelers struggled a season ago as they were too young on the offensive line and they did not have a secondary wide out to complement George Pickens. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, although talented, are journeyman quarterbacks at this point in their careers for a reason, however. They will be more seasoned up front next season and they have since added D.K Metcalf to fill the wide out void. They still lack depth on the offensive side of the ball everywhere except at tight end, however. The quarterback spot obviously remains the biggest question mark but the team will likely sign veteran Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers can have a bounce back year albeit at such an advanced age and if the young offensive line can reach anything near its full potential, then the Steelers will be a very tough offensive team to deal with next season. As they would have no weakness outside of offensive depth which was even a concern for the Super Bowl champion Eagles a season ago. Rodgers at or near peak form and some of the players on the offensive side of the ball for Pittsburgh are borderline elite to elite players as well. If the offensive line can play to its full potential, then from an offensive personnel they would be nearly as good as any team in the NFL. If Rodgers can have a bounce back year he would also be nearly as good as any quarterback in the NFL as well. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith heads into his second full season on the job for the Steelers and the offense can expect to take a step forward as a result. The defensive side of the ball was the strong point for the Steelers defense a season ago and I have conducted a similar evaluation of it below.
The Steelers were amongst the premier defensive teams in the NFL a season ago as they typically are under defensive minded head coach Mike Tomlin. The Steelers key defensive metrics from this past season can be found below.
Steelers 2024 Key Defensive Metrics
8th in points per game allowed
12th in yards per game allowed
3rd in defense grade according to Pro Football Focus
The team was one of the best defensive teams a season ago but one could certainly argue that they were not elite. As there were several teams who fielded a defense of a similar caliber a season ago. Although they ranked 3rd in overall defense grade according to Pro Football Focus, they ranked in the bottom half of the top 10 or even outside the top 10 in both points and yards allowed. I have conducted a similar unit by unit analysis of the Steelers on the defensive end starting with the front seven which can be found below.
Steelers Starting Front Seven
ED – Isaiahh Loudermilk – (83/146) defense grade in 2024 over 222 snaps, C
NT – Keeanu Benton – (31/146) defense grade in 2024 over 641 snaps, B+
ED – Cameron Heyward – (1/146) defense grade in 2024 over 779 snaps, A to A+
LB – T.J Watt – (13/135) defense grade in 2024 over 939 snaps, A
LB – Patrick Queen – (67/92) defense grade in 2024 over 1091 snaps, C+
LB- Payton Wilson – (13/92) defense grade in 2024 over 493 snaps, B+ so far as 2024 3rd rounder
LB – Alex Highsmith – (7/135) defense grade in 2024 over 525 snaps, B+
Steelers Reserve Front Seven
ED – Dean Lowry – poor in limited snaps in 2024, C to C+
NT – Montravius Adams – (113/146) defense grade in 2024 over 188 snaps, C
ED – Daniel Ekuale – (59/146) defense grade in 2024 over 723 snaps for Patriots, C to C+
LB – Nick Herbig – (16/135) defense grade in 2024 over 416 snaps, B+ in limited NFL snaps
LB – Cole Holcolmb – DNP in 2024, C+ to B-
LB – Malik Harrison – (82/92) defense grade in 2024 over 371 snaps for Ravens, C to C+
LB – DeMarvin Leal – (48/135) defense grade in 2024 over 51 snaps, C to C+
ED – Esezi Otomewo – (121/146) defense grade in 2024 over 90 snaps for Jaguars, C to C+
NT – Domenique Davis – poor in 37 career snaps for Bengals
ED – Logan Lee – 0 career snaps, 2024 6th rounder
LB – Jeremiah Moon – (131/135) defense grade in 2024 over 11 snaps, C to C-
LB – Mark Robinson – (82/92) defense grade in 2024 over 371 snaps for Ravens, C to C+
LB – Devin Harper – 5 career snaps
LB – Eku Leota – (124/135) defense grade in 2024 over 69 snaps, C
ED – Jacob Slade – 0 career snaps, undrafted
LB – Thomas Rush – 0 career snaps, undrafted
LB – Julius Welschof – 0 career snaps, undrafted
Steelers Front Seven from 2024 not currently or no longer on team
LB – Elandon Roberts – (11/92) defense grade in 2024 over 478 snaps, C+, now on Raiders
LB – Adetokunbo Ogundeji – poor in 25 snaps in 2024, D+, free agent
LB – Preston Smith – (66/135) defense grade in 2024 over 469 snaps, B to B+, free agent
LB – Larry Ogunjobi – (110/146) defense grade in 2024 over 495 snaps, C to C+, now on Bills
Steelers 2024 Key Front Seven Metrics
6th in rushing yards per game allowed
8th in run defense grade according to Pro Football Focus
1st in pass rush grade according to Pro Football Focus
17th in sacks
As you can see from the above sets of data the Steelers had one of the premier front sevens in the NFL this past season. They ranked in the top 10 in three of the four major metrics including ranking 1st in terms of pass rush grade according to Pro Football Focus. Despite the #1 overall ranking in terms of pass rush grade they still only accumulated the 17th most sacks. Perhaps opposing quarterbacks got rid of the ball quicker knowing that the ferocious Steelers defensive line was going to be on their tail. The front seven as of now has no real weaknesses outside of one of the two starting edge rusher positions which is currently occupied by Isaiahh Loudermilk who is likely better suited as a backup along with linebacker Patrick Queen being inconsistent but still being effective at times. The Steelers have one highly capable backup player in Nick Herbig who has looked highly effective in limited snaps. Perhaps he can step into a starting role for the team going forward. Maybe the team can add another player in the draft to step in for the team as well on the front seven. As currently constructed the Steelers’ front seven is one of the premier front sevens in the league today despite having a few weaknesses. If those weaknesses can be addressed then the Steelers’ front seven can perhaps be the best in the league next season. I have conducted a similar evaluation of the team’s secondary which can also be found below as well.
Steelers Starting Secondary
CB – Darius Slay Jr – (50/128) defense grade in 2024 over 698 snaps with Eagles, B to B+
SS – Deshon Elliot – (30/104) defense grade in 2024 over 824 snaps, B
FS – Minkah Fitzpatrick – (35/104) defense grade in 2024 over 1084 snaps, B to B+
CB – Joey Porter Jr – (104/128) defense grade in 2024 over 972 snaps, C
NB – Brandin Echols – (98/128) defense grade in 2024 over 406 snaps with Jets, C
Steelers Reserve Secondary
CB – Cory Trice Jr – (39/128) defense grade in 2024 over 194 snaps, B as these are only career snaps
CB – Cameron Sutton – (108/128) defense grade in 2024 over 256 snaps, C to C+
SS – Miles Killebrew – only 9 snaps in 2024, C
FS – Juan Thornhill – (46/104) defense grade in 2024 over 401 snaps for Browns, B
CB – James Pierre – (97/128) defense grade in 2024 over 206 snaps, C to C+
NB – Beanie Bishop Jr – (100/128) defense grade in 2024 over 549 snaps, C
CB – Kyler McMichael – 0 career snaps, undrafted
SS – Ryan Watts – 0 career snaps, undrafted
FS – Joshau Bledsoe – poor in 22 career snaps
CB – Cameron McCutheon – 0 career snaps, undrafted
Steelers Secondary from 2024 not currently or no longer on team
CB – Donte Jackson – (118/128) defense grade in 2024 over 780 snaps, C, now on Chargers
S – Damontae Kazee – (76/104) defense grade in 2024 over 290 snaps, C to C+, free agent
S – Terrell Edmunds – (27/104) defense grade in 2024 over 69 snaps, B, now on Titans
Steelers 2024 Key Secondary Metrics
22nd in coverage grade according to Pro Football Focus
25th in passing yards per game allowed
As you can see from the above data the Steelers secondary has multiple weak points and is one of the weaknesses of the team. Heading into next season in order to address the secondary which is a weak point of the team they have signed veteran Darius Slay Jr. Slay the six-time pro bowler saw a reduced number of snaps last season for Philadelphia due to the emergence of Cooper Dejean and Quinyon Mitchell for the Eagles at corner. Slay although he is aging as he is approaching 35 years old can still be very effective starting at corner. Regardless of how effective he will be as he continues to age, he will almost certainly be an upgrade starting at corner over Donte Jackson from a season ago who ranked among the weakest starting corners in the NFL. The safety spots for the Steelers are, however, in good shape as Deshon Elliot and Minkah Fitzpatrick form one of the more formidable safety tandems in the sport. The remaining corner spots were a concern last season and remain a concern heading into next season. 2023 second round pick Joey Porter Jr has unfortunately underwhelmed in the NFL thus far despite showing some promise. Porter Jr had a solid rookie season but really regressed in 2024. Perhaps his regression can be attributed to the weak surrounding players with him in the Pittsburgh back end. Maybe the 2024 season was an aberration and he can continue to build off his solid rookie season going forward as a such a high draft pick. The third corner spot currently filled with Brandin Echols remains a concern and was a concern last season as well. Perhaps the Steelers should look to the draft to address the secondary even further. Reserve cornerback Cory Trice Jr has looked very strong, albeit in very limited snaps for the team and perhaps he can step into a starting role for the Steelers going forward. Safety Juan Thornhill has been consistently effective in the NFL thus far and was signed from the Browns this offseason. Perhaps he can bolster the Pittsburgh starting back end and worst-case scenario he will provide some valuable depth for the team. The secondary and in particular the cornerbacks were a concern last season as the team had strong safety play but very weak cornerback play. The team has signed proven and highly effective veterans Darius Slay and Juan Thornhill this offseason to patch up the secondary and are optimistic that 2023 second rounder Joey Porter Jr can start to play to his potential. The secondary still remains a concern however as it was the weak point of an otherwise very strong defense last season. Darius Slay is aging, Juan Thornhill has not proven to be effective at cornerback, and Joey Porter Jr has been too inconsistent thus far in his career. But all three of those players can certainly play to their full potential and make the Pittsburgh secondary very viable. But addressing the secondary should still be a point of emphasis heading into next season.
Overall, on the defensive side of things the Steelers were amongst the premier teams in the NFL this past season despite having a weak back end. The front seven was one of the premier front sevens in the league a season ago and projects to be that heading into next season as well. The secondary was a concern as the team ranked in the bottom 10 of both the major metrics of strong secondary play. The additions of Juan Thornhill and Darius Slay along with the potential improvement of Joey Porter Jr will hopefully be enough to patch up the back end for Pittsburgh. The Steelers were a top 5-10 defense a season ago but not anything more than that. If the secondary can improve then they can certainly take the next step to being a top 5 defense in the discussion for the best defense in the NFL. Especially since the offense can certainly be more productive as well putting the defense in better spots to succeed.
In totality with the Steelers, the struggles a season ago were due to the lack of strong wide out play outside of primary wide receiver George Pickens, a young underdeveloped offensive line, and a very weak cornerback unit. They have since added star wide out D.K Metcalf to complement Pickens, the young offensive line will have another year to develop, and they have added some key veteran secondary players and have some young players in the back end of the defense in line to improve as well. If they can see consistent improvement across the board from young players who have shown some promise and/or were once high draft picks then I struggle to find any weakness on the Pittsburgh roster. They would have no real weakness on their roster and their front seven is unequivocally elite with 4-5 players who are not even in the front seven being borderline elite to elite caliber players as well. The question remains still the quarterback spot. If Aaron Rodgers signs with the Steelers and can have a bounce back season then the Steelers can certainly contend to win the AFC.