The Pittsburgh Steelers started their offseason off with a bang, trading for WR DK Metcalf, with the news coming out the day before the legal tampering period began. Since then though, it’s been a bit of a slow offseason for the Steelers, and while the team has taken care of some of their key needs with the signings of CB Darius Slay and Brandin Echols, ESPN’s Nick Solak has the [Steelers’ offseason additions ranked No. 26 in the NFL](https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/44363563/2025-nfl-free-agency-class-rankings-teams-improved-better-worse-signings-deals).
Notably though, Solak doesn’t have Slay listed among the team’s key acquisitions or returning players, which feels like an oversight. WR DK Metcalf, RB Jaylen Warren, QB Mason Rudolph, LB Malik Harrison and CB Brandin Echols were the five players listed.
As for what he liked about Pittsburgh’s offseason, Solak said the move to get Metcalf helps a Steelers team that “desperately needed offensive firepower.” What he doesn’t like is Pittsburgh’s continuing to wait on signing QB Aaron Rodgers.
“What happens if he takes his game elsewhere, and the Steelers are left starting Rudolph in 2025? Or what if he joins and they’re hanging their playoff hopes on a 41-year-old quarterback who refuses to update his game? All of the Steelers’ eggs are in the Metcalf and Rodgers baskets, and that doesn’t sit right with me.”
Solak also writes that Pittsburgh’s second-biggest deal behind Metcalf was their second-round tender on Jaylen Warren, again clearly forgetting the Slay deal.
Seemingly forgetting the Steelers signed Slay aside, the Steelers haven’t made a whole lot of splashy moves this offseason. It could be by design, as the Steelers are [currently slated to have four compensatory draft picks](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/03/pittsburghs-pieces-coming-together-to-make-2026-1st-round-qb-move/) in the 2026 NFL Draft, and signing big-money free agents could’ve affected their compensatory draft pool. Slay doesn’t count as a compensatory free agent since he was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, and while Mason Rudolph and Malik Harrison do count, the Steelers still lost more compensatory free agents than they gained.
The fact that Rodgers hasn’t signed yet also makes the haul look like a little bit worse, as if you look at the Steelers right now, Rudolph is set to be the starting quarterback. If Rodgers signs, he’d slot into the QB1 role, but Solak seems to think that it’s not a done deal for Rodgers to come to Pittsburgh, although with Russell Wilson signing with the New York Giants, it does feel a lot more likely now.
Either way, it wasn’t a super flashy haul for the Steelers, but it’s one that did address some needs. Solak also didn’t list DL Daniel Ekuale and Isaiahh Loudermilk, and both of them should help provide defensive line depth, and Solak also didn’t list RB Kenneth Gainwell, who should shore up the backfield along with Warren and presumably a rookie. In my opinion, I think the Steelers did a solid job attacking most of their needs through free agency, although defensive line still remains a big one, and one they’re likely to address through the draft.
I think putting their additions at No. 26 is fair just on the talent added, but certainly don’t think it’s been a bad free agency period for Pittsburgh.