The NFL’s 2026 season is on the horizon. The Pittsburgh Steelers are evaluating the hundreds of pending free agents, but also deciding whether or not to re-sign their own. As we do every year, here are my predictions for the team’s unrestricted free agents: Who will stay and who will depart.
QB Aaron Rodgers
No one can truly predict what Rodgers will do. There’s reason to believe he’ll return or retire. Based on comments Rodgers apparently made to ESPN, the prevailing thought at the end of the year was that he’d retire. After Mike Tomlin stepped down, that seemed all but certain. Mike McCarthy’s hire cracked that door open, and if Rodgers still has a fire to play, reuniting with his former coach makes for a quick acclimation to a new staff.
Rodgers had fun last year, still proved he could play, and his body largely held up. I’m 60/40 that he’ll return and play one final year.
Prediction: Stays
RB Kenneth Gainwell
Gainwell enjoyed a career year and was named Pittsburgh’s MVP. There’s a list of reasons to want him back and the Steelers seemingly want to re-sign him. His durability is critically overlooked, too. But Gainwell’s big year will create a market elsewhere. Even if Aaron Rodgers returns, Gainwell may find a system that will lean on his pass-game chops more than Mike McCarthy and company might.
Tough decision here, but Gainwell may find a better deal and system elsewhere.
Prediction: Leaves
OG Isaac Seumalo
Seumalo battled more soft-tissue injuries in 2025, but when healthy, he played solid and strong football. Continuity along the offensive line would be a plus. But Pittsburgh will probably need to pay Seumalo more than the team did three years ago, 3 years/$24 million, and Seumalo is well into his 30s and battling injuries every year. It’s a hard sell. Pittsburgh is likely to look elsewhere and seems intrigued by Spencer Anderson.
Prediction: Leaves
S Kyle Dugger
Acquired via trade to replace DeShon Elliott, Dugger was only average filling in. Elliott is healthy, and Pittsburgh needs more speed in the secondary, especially at safety. Dugger is inoffensive to bring back on a minimum deal, but he probably moves on.
Prediction: Leaves
S Miles Killebrew
His house being for sale isn’t a smoking gun, but it is a likely sign that Killebrew’s Pittsburgh tenure is done. His real estate agent isn’t the only reason why. He turns 33 in May and is coming off a torn ACL. Time to move on. Killebrew will take the offseason to get healthy and perhaps follow Danny Smith to Tampa Bay.
Prediction: Leaves
TE Connor Heyward
It’s hard to know how Mike McCarthy will evaluate Heyward. A miscast tight end or a Hunter Luepke type that McCarthy had in Dallas, an H-back who can do a little bit of everything. Heyward could find a better fit elsewhere, but if push comes to shove, I think he’ll stay. There’s special teams value, and he may want to spend one more season with his brother, something no other team could offer.
Prediction: Stays
NT Daniel Ekuale
Ekuale played serviceable football as a backup nose tackle in 2025 before tearing his ACL. With a new coaching staff, the Steelers are likely to turn over the bottom of their roster and bring in new faces.
Prediction: Leaves
DL Dean Lowry
Lowry spent 2025 on injured reserve after tearing his ACL in training camp. He’s not coming back.
Prediction: Leaves
ILB Cole Holcomb
Kudos to Holcomb for his determination to return and see the field. As a base linebacker, he made a couple of plays and proved his devastating 2024 knee injury didn’t end his career. Even with ILBs coach Scott McCurley staying, Holcomb probably leaves as Pittsburgh focuses on youth and speed defensively. Holcomb turns 30 in July and isn’t a strong special teamer. The Steelers can do better. A new coaching staff only makes it easier to move on from him.
Prediction: Leaves
OT Andrus Peat
Pittsburgh’s offseason won’t be ruined if Peat exits, but I think he stays. There’s a connection to assistant offensive line coach Jahri Evans, who worked with Peat in New Orleans. The Steelers need a couple of veteran offensive linemen, and Broderick Jones’ neck injury creates too much uncertainty.
The Steelers could explore signing an external veteran, but options are limited and often cost too much. Re-signing Peat has value.
Prediction: Stays
S Chuck Clark
Don’t have a strong feeling one way or the other. Clark is near the end of his career. But the Steelers have little depth at safety and could let other options leave. One of the veterans likely returns just as depth. That could be Clark, who logged over 400 defensive snaps in 2025.
Prediction: Stays
WR Scotty Miller
Miller wore lots of hats in his two years with Pittsburgh. But no longer attached to Arthur Smith, it’s time for him to move on. He may sign a one-year minimum deal elsewhere, but the Steelers need a receiver reset in the worst way.
Prediction: Leaves
S Jabrill Peppers
Peppers was added as box depth when injuries piled up. He also saw some work as the team’s personal protector. But his value is narrow, and the Steelers will look for several upgrades. Potentially in free agency and definitely in the draft. A new coaching staff means most low-level free agents leave.
Prediction: Leaves
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
But some will stay. Valdes-Scantling could be the guy. With size and speed and a connection to McCarthy and Rodgers, he could return on a cheap, one-year deal as veteran insurance before free agency opens. Pittsburgh will add at wide receiver early and perhaps often in the draft, too.
Prediction: Stays
CB James Pierre
Pierre turned in a career year and is worth re-signing. He can fit Patrick Graham’s man-focused scheme. The money has to be right, and Pittsburgh should still look toward a true long-term option. Signing Pierre, along with adding a top-75 draft pick, fits.
Prediction: Stays
CB Asante Samuel Jr.
Pittsburgh seems open to bringing Samuel back. But make me choose between him and James Pierre, I’ll go with Pierre. Samuel had enough good tape and showed his health in 2025 to latch on with another team.
Prediction: Leaves
WR Calvin Austin III
Austin made clutch plays last year with three game-winning scores. He works hard and is a team player. But Pittsburgh must make bigger investments and upgrades at the wide receiver position. That means making changes to the depth chart. Austin will find work elsewhere as a No. 3-type receiver. The Steelers will look for a bigger and better No. 2.
Prediction: Leaves
DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
Loudermilk missed most of 2025 with an ankle sprain. A rotational run stuffer, the Steelers should add stronger depth. Loudermilk is an easy player to move on from.
Prediction: Leaves
P Corliss Waitman, DL Esezi Otomewo, C Ryan McCollum
All restricted free agents. With a rising price tag, it’s doubtful any of them receive a tender of any sort. I think Waitman leaves outright, while Otomewo and McCollum re-sign on cheaper contracts than the $3.52 million original round/first-refusal tender would cost.
Final tally predictions, excluding the RFAs.
Leave: 12Stay: 6
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