| Group | Grade |
|---|---|
| QB | Slightly upgraded |
| RB | Slightly downgraded |
| WR | Strongly upgraded |
| TE | Slightly downgraded |
| OT | Strongly upgraded |
| IOL | Slightly downgraded |
| DL | Slightly upgraded |
| EDGE | Neutral |
| ILB | Neutral |
| CB | Strongly upgraded |
| S | Strongly upgraded |
| ST | Neutral |
Grades compare Pittsburgh’s current position rooms with last season after accounting for additions, losses and expected role changes.
Quarterback: Slightly upgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Drew Allar | Skylar Thompson |
Rodgers returning for what he has framed as his final season gives the offense continuity that it did not have entering last offseason. Mason Rudolph remains a credible veteran backup, while Will Howard and third-round pick Drew Allar give Pittsburgh two developmental quarterbacks with different timelines.
This is not a strong upgrade because the immediate ceiling still rests on a veteran quarterback near the end of his career. Allar improves the long-range options, but the Steelers still do not know whether their post-Rodgers starter is on the roster.
Running back: Slightly downgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle; Travis Homer; Riley Nowakowski; Eli Heidenreich | Kenneth Gainwell; Trey Sermon |
Dowdle gives Jaylen Warren a proven running mate and should keep Pittsburgh from overloading one back. The issue is that Gainwell was much more than replaceable depth. He was voted the Steelers’ 2025 team MVP after producing 1,023 yards from scrimmage, including 73 receptions on 85 targets.
That receiving volume is the key loss. Warren, Dowdle, Kaleb Johnson and Travis Homer can form a useful committee, but someone must replace the dependable third-down work and easy completions Gainwell gave Rodgers. Until that role is clear, this room is slightly worse on paper.
Wide receiver: Strongly upgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Michael Pittman Jr.; Germie Bernard | Calvin Austin III; Adam Thielen; Scotty Miller; Marquez Valdes-Scantling; John Rhys Plumlee |
This is one of Pittsburgh’s clearest upgrades. Pittman gives Rodgers a large, dependable target opposite DK Metcalf. He caught 80 passes for 784 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, production that adds a genuine second starting receiver instead of asking one player to carry the entire complementary role.
Bernard adds another route to improvement. In his final season at Alabama, he caught 64 passes for 862 yards and seven receiving touchdowns. He does not have to become a star immediately; he only has to create competition, handle multiple alignments and give the offense another receiver defenses must respect.
Pittman raises the floor now, Bernard raises the long-term ceiling, and Metcalf no longer has to be the only established outside threat. That combination makes wide receiver a strong upgrade, not a slight one.
Tight end: Slightly downgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| N/A | Jonnu Smith; Connor Heyward; Donald Parham; Matt Sokol |
Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington remain the central pieces. Freiermuth can work the intermediate middle of the field, while Washington gives the offense a rare blocking and red-zone body. Robert Tonyan’s familiarity with McCarthy’s offense is useful, but it does not fundamentally alter the position.
Freiermuth and Washington keep the starting structure respectable, but losing Jonnu Smith and several depth options without adding a true tight end makes the room thinner. That produces a slight downgrade even if the top two roles remain stable.
Offensive tackle: Strongly upgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Max Iheanachor | Calvin Anderson |
The Steelers used premium draft capital to attack a premium position. Iheanachor gives the room another player with starting traits and reduces the need to treat every Troy Fautanu or Broderick Jones question as an all-or-nothing proposition.
The rookie still has to prove he can handle NFL speed, but the investment changes both the ceiling and depth of the room. Pittsburgh now has several plausible tackle combinations instead of simply hoping the existing pair stays healthy and develops on schedule.
Interior offensive line: Slightly downgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Gennings Dunker; Brock Hoffman | Isaac Seumalo; Andrus Peat; Max Scharping |
Third-round guard Gennings Dunker and former Cowboys lineman Brock Hoffman add competition, but neither should be treated as an automatic replacement for Isaac Seumalo. Seumalo was Pittsburgh’s most experienced interior blocker, and his departure creates a real question at left guard.
Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick can still improve with experience, while Dunker has the power and position flexibility to earn an early role. Until the Steelers prove they have replaced Seumalo’s steady play, however, the interior line is slightly downgraded.
Defensive line: Slightly upgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Sebastian Joseph-Day; Gabriel Rubio | Daniel Ekuale; Isaiahh Loudermilk; Jacob Slade |
Cam Heyward remains the standard, but Pittsburgh is no longer asking him to represent the entire identity of the defensive line. Harmon, Keeanu Benton and Black give the Steelers a younger core with complementary size and disruption.
Sebastian Joseph-Day adds an experienced run defender and sixth-round pick Gabriel Rubio adds developmental size. Those arrivals outweigh the loss of several reserve linemen, but the room cannot earn a stronger grade until its young core turns projection into consistent production.
Edge rusher: Neutral
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| N/A | Jeremiah Moon |
Neutral is not criticism here. Edge remains one of the deepest rooms on the roster. Watt is the centerpiece, Highsmith is a proven starter, and Herbig and Sawyer give the defense credible rotation options.
Jeremiah Moon’s departure trims the back end of the depth chart but does not materially change the rotation. Better health or a larger role for Herbig could improve the results, but the offseason roster grade stays neutral.
Inside linebacker: Neutral
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
Queen and Wilson have enough range to make this an athletic group, but the next step has to come from cleaner fits, coverage consistency and fewer damaging mistakes. This position was not transformed by one signing or draft pick.
The ceiling remains attractive, especially if Wilson takes a second-year leap, but the floor is close to where it was. That makes neutral the appropriate offseason grade.
Cornerback: Strongly upgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Jamel Dean; Daylen Everette | James Pierre; Tre Flowers |
Dean changes the structure of the secondary. He reportedly allowed a 49.2 percent completion rate and a 63.1 passer rating when targeted in 2025, giving Pittsburgh another experienced outside corner to pair with Joey Porter Jr.
Ramsey was already a Steeler last season, so he should not be counted as a new acquisition. The upgrade is how Pittsburgh can deploy him now. With Dean and Porter available outside, Ramsey can spend more time as a slot or roving defensive back, matching tight ends, handling inside releases and moving around based on the opponent.
That is a meaningful improvement because it puts three accomplished defensive backs in roles that better fit their strengths. Health is the main caveat, but the coverage options are clearly stronger.
Safety: Strongly upgraded
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Jaquan Brisker; Robert Spears-Jennings | Chuck Clark; Kyle Dugger; Jabrill Peppers |
Brisker gives the Steelers a physical safety with starting experience and the range to affect the run fit, underneath coverage and pressure packages. He also makes the safety evaluation independent from the cornerback room, where it belongs.
The medical and availability questions cannot be ignored, but the football fit is straightforward. A healthy Brisker gives Pittsburgh a tone-setter and allows the staff to use Ramsey’s versatility without asking him to function as a full-time safety. That is a strong roster upgrade.
Special teams: Neutral
| Added | Lost |
|---|---|
| Cameron Johnston; Kaden Wetjen | Corliss Waitman; Miles Killebrew |
Chris Boswell keeps the most important part of the unit stable. He remains one of the NFL’s most dependable kickers. The punter, returner and coverage roles still need to be settled through camp and preseason work.
Johnston replaces Waitman at punter, while fourth-round pick Wetjen arrives as a dedicated return threat. Losing Killebrew removes a proven coverage leader, so the gains and losses balance out to a neutral grade around Boswell.
Final verdict: The passing game and secondary changed the most
The strongest work came at wide receiver, offensive tackle, cornerback and safety. Pittman and Bernard give Rodgers a far more complete receiving structure. Iheanachor adds premium upside to the offensive line. Dean and Brisker let Pittsburgh create a more natural secondary around Porter and a slot-roving Ramsey.
The main subtraction that should not be overlooked is Gainwell. Dowdle can help the rushing rotation, but replacing 73 catches from a team MVP is a real assignment. Elsewhere, the Steelers are counting on continuity and development more than transactions.
Roster context and statistics are current as of June 19, 2026. Sources include the Steelers roster, Steelers 2026 draft class and Pro Football Reference. Follow more analysis in the Steelers Realm articles section.