The Pittsburgh Steelers have made a flurry of moves this offseason under GM Omar Khan, adding a ton of experience to their roster while elevating their overall floor.
The additions of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., cornerback Jamel Dean, running back Rico Dowdle and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day, among other minor moves, has many calling the Steelers one of the most improved teams early in the offseason.
But, ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, holes still remain, including at the most important position in all of sports, though the Steelers are operating as if they know Aaron Rodgers will return for a second season.
Still, the Steelers do have some holes to address on the roster, and the NFL Draft offers a pathway to do just that. For NFL.com’s Dan Parr, there are five holes the Steelers need to fill via the draft: quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver, tight end and linebacker.
“For the second straight offseason, the Steelers await a definitive answer fromAaron Rodgers on whether he plans to continue playing. Even if the 42-year-old does reunite with head coach Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh should be looking for a long-term solution at quarterback, although they did spend a sixth-round pick onWill Howard a year ago,” Parr writes. “Rodgers’ return would allow the team to focus its most valuable draft resources on enhancing his supporting cast. Left guardIsaac Seumalo departed in free agency, leaving a hole on the offensive line.
“There’s room to improve at receiver behindDK Metcalf andMichael Pittman Jr. The Steelers should be looking to become more dynamic at tight end, too.”
Everything comes down to the quarterback position in today’s NFL. You either have a franchise guy, or you’re searching for one in the hopes of locking up the position for the next decade-plus. The Steelers very clearly fall in the latter, but they probably won’t find a franchise QB in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Running it back with Rodgers for another season and investing heavily in Will Howard’s development seems like the best path at the moment.
The offensive line is a major need after losing Isaac Seumalo in free agency and with Broderick Jones’ health up in the air after neck surgery following his season-ending injury in Week 12. The Steelers have spoken highly of Spencer Anderson recently, and there’s a belief in Dylan Cook, but that can’t be the starting left side for a team aiming to compete.
Wide receiver could use a speedster to take the top off the defense while tight end looks a little thin after cutting Jonnu Smith and losing Connor Heyward in free agency.
Also, the Steelers have hosted a trio of linebackers for pre-draft visits, signaling real interest in the position. Patrick Queen enters the final year of his contract and has been a bit of a disappointment, while Payton Wilson took a step back last season.
So, the holes are pretty clear at the moment. Safety and cornerback should be included too. There’s a lot of directions the Steelers can go in the draft. They have a lot of needs, but there’s no denying that right now the roster looks better than it did last season.
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