The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping to get Aaron Rodgers back as their franchise quarterback for the 2026-27 season, and if they do, they just have to make sure to surround him with good player, both on the offense and defense.
The NFL free agency period begins on Wednesday, March 11, and that’s when the Steelers will be able to make their first official moves to craft this roster to get them back to the Super Bowl. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but that’s the goal.
Now, in a Saturday, March 7, feature for Fox Sports, Greg Auman discusses 100 free agents and where he believes they’ll end up. “Players can start officially signing with new teams on Wednesday, March 11,” he states in the feature, “and over a billion dollars worth of new contracts will be written by NFL teams in a short amount of time.”
So, what move does he see the Steelers making? He sees them getting a Super Bowl winner from the Kansas City Chiefs in safety Bryan Cook. In the piece, he calls him the “model” for having “low-key under-the-radar coverage skills without splash plays.”
“He has three interceptions in four seasons in Kansas City, one sack and zero forced fumbles, but he’s solid and consistent enough as a defender to be Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 safety in 2025,” Auman notes. “What’s tricky is the Chiefs have the least cap space of any NFL team, so they’re going to have to let talented young players walk and must prioritize which, if any, they’re able to extend.”
In a separate feature, Dan Graziano of ESPN predicts where free agents will land, and although he says he believes the Chiefs will try to retain Cook, he has the player signing with the Houston Texans on a three-year deal worth $42 million and $20 million guaranteed.
“Another graduate of the Steve Spagnuolo Academy, Cook hits the market at 26 and with high-level playoff experience on his résumé,” he notes in the piece. “After he had 85 tackles for them last season, the Chiefs will try to keep him but might not offer enough.”
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