We have officially reached the dead part of the summer here at Steelers Depot.
In two weeks, the Steelers will report to training camp, and things will really start to pick up. For now, though, players, coaches, and front office personnel are enjoying the last of their vacations, so things are quiet.
For the most part.
Today, though, I am continuing my Ranking The Steelers’ Starters series here at Steelers Depot, taking a shot at ranking the best starters from No. 24 to No. 1, including kicker and punter.
This is the starting lineup that I believe will be rolled out in Week 1 on the road against the New York Jets.
*indicates players already ranked in the series
Offense
QB — Aaron Rodgers
RB — Jaylen Warren
WR — DK Metcalf
WR — Calvin Austin III
TE — Pat Freiermuth
TE — Jonnu Smith
LT — Broderick Jones
LG — Isaac Seumalo
C — Zach Frazier
RG — Mason McCormick
RT — Troy Fautanu
Defense
DE — Cameron Heyward
NT — Keeanu Benton
DE — Derrick Harmon
OLB — T.J. Watt
ILB — Patrick Queen
ILB — Payton Wilson
OLB — Alex Highsmith
CB — Joey Porter Jr.
CB — Darius Slay
DB — Jalen Ramsey
S — DeShon Elliott
Specialists
K — Chris Boswell
P — Cameron Johnston
Now that you see the projected starting lineup for this series, here’s a quick rundown of what the Ranking The Starters series looks like so far.
No. 24 — Broderick Jones, LT
No. 23 — Troy Fautanu, RT
No. 22 — Calvin Austin III, WR
No. 21 — Cameron Johnston, P
No. 20 — Derrick Harmon, DE
No. 19 — Mason McCormick, RG
No. 18 — Keeanu Benton, NT
No. 17 — Darius Slay, CB
No. 16 — Jaylen Warren, RB
No. 15 — Payton Wilson, ILB
No. 14 — Patrick Queen, ILB
No. 13 — Aaron Rodgers, QB
Let’s look at No. 12-10 in today’s Ranking the Steelers’ Starters edition.
NO. 12 — PAT FREIERMUTH, TE
After hauling in 65 passes for 653 yards and seven touchdowns last season, things are looking up for Pat Freiermuth in 2025 with Aaron Rodgers under center.
Having a quarterback in the mix who will attack the middle of the field and being in a TE-friendly scheme under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith should have Freiermuth set up for success. Though he had some issues with drops and consistency late in the year, Freiermuth still had a strong season. He was a key piece in the passing attack and really came on strong in the second half of the season once Russell Wilson was inserted into the starting lineup.
In Year 2 with Smith as OC, Freiermuth should take another step. He needs to get better after the catch and play a bit more physical, but Freiermuth plays his part well as that security blanket at TE.
NO. 11 — JOEY PORTER JR., CB
If it weren’t for the abundance of penalties last season, Joey Porter Jr.’s numbers in coverage would have him in the discussion among the best corners in football. You can’t forget about the penalties, though. With new secondary coach Gerald Alexander in the mix, the goal is to clean up the hand usage and penalties for Porter.
Should Porter be able to clean up some of the hand usage and avoid some penalties, he could really start to take off as a true shutdown cornerback. Last season, Porter allowed just 48 receptions for 619 yards and one touchdown. Though the completion percentage against increased, as did the QB rating, the average depth of reception dropped by nearly three yards. So, Porter wasn’t getting beat deep, and he was able to keep quite a bit in front of him.
With Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey now in the cornerback room with him, Porter has some great vets to lean on and learn from. The 2025 season could be a big one for the third-year cornerback.
NO. 10 — JONNU SMITH, TE
With the addition of Jonnu Smith, the Steelers could live in 12 and 13 personnel. If they choose to, it could be an exciting offense, and Smith could have a big year again.
He won’t haul in 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in Pittsburgh due to the talent around him and the philosophy Arthur Smith likes to utilize. But with Aaron Rodgers under center and other weapons like DK Metcalf, Pat Freiermuth, and Calvin Austin III, there should be plenty of time and space for Smith.
He’s great after the catch, too, and he brings that welcomed element to the Steelers’ offense.
After pursuing him for an extended period this summer, the Steelers finally landed the talented tight end. Hopefully, Arthur Smith will have a plan for him and will get the best out of him again.
Recommended for you