This time next week, the Pittsburgh Steelers will have reported for training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. That means the long offseason is almost over and real football is just about back.
How exciting that is, especially with the offseason that the Steelers have had and the attention they’ve garnered.
For now, we still have some time before the start of training camp. So, we roll on here at Steelers Depot with my Ranking The Steelers’ Starters series.
This is the starting lineup that I am projecting the Steelers will roll 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
With the projected starting lineup for this series out of the way, 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
No. 12 — Pat Freiermuth, TE
No. 11 — Joey Porter Jr., CB
No. 10 — Jonnu Smith, TE
Now, let’s look at No. 9-7 in today’s Ranking the Steelers’ Starters edition.
NO. 9 — ISAAC SEUMALO, LG
Quietly, Isaac Seumalo remains one of the Steelers’ best players. He’s as steady as they come, brings physicality to the offensive line, and just does his job at a high level.
The Steelers really missed his presence early last season as he missed the first four weeks of the year with a pectoral injury that he suffered in training camp. Once he returned, Seumalo showed just how valuable he is. He played 872 snaps, including the postseason, and graded out at a 66.3 overall from Pro Football Focus.
The veteran left guard allowed just 28 pressures and two sacks on the year, too, and was at his best in the run game. Entering Year 3 with the Steelers he’ll be counted on to be a key piece once again. With Broderick Jones making the move to left tackle, Seumalo’s importance next to the young tackle will only increase.
NO. 8 — JALEN RAMSEY, DB
Just a few weeks ago Jalen Ramsey wasn’t even a realistic thought for the Steelers. And then GM Omar Khan worked his magic. Now, the Steelers have a veteran defensive back who can play all over the place, and brings a great deal of star-brand talent to the roster.
Though he’s 31 years old and has a lot of snaps under his belt, Ramsey remains a good piece in the secondary. He can handle an outside cornerback role at a high level and plays with the speed and physicality to live in the slot, too. A move to safety isn’t out of the question, either, due to his high football IQ.
The Steelers — particularly Mike Tomlin — have admired Ramsey from afar for a long time. Now, he’s in the Black and Gold and feels like the finishing piece for a great defense.
NO. 7 — DK METCALF, WR
Another big-name offseason splash addition, DK Metcalf answers a significant question for the Steelers at the wide receiver position in 2025. He steps in as a true No. 1 receiver for the Black and Gold, and with Aaron Rodgers under center should be able to put up some great numbers.
Though he can be hot-headed on the field and take some bad penalties, he’s a big, physical specimen at receiver who is a matchup nightmare for defenses. Metcalf fits exactly what offensive coordinator Arthur Smith wants in his receivers as a guy who will block his tail off and is tough after the catch.
He’s similar in that sense to A.J. Brown, who had a great deal of success under Arthur Smith in Tennessee. Hopefully Metcalf can produce like Brown once did in Smith’s scheme, proving he’s worth every penny the Steelers gave him.
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