Steelers May Have To Pay A Heavy Price For This Position Of Need In Free Agency

While the Pittsburgh Steelers are under a new coaching regime, the team may very well look similar to last season. Aaron Rodgers, is currently the favorite to return to the Steelers as the starting quarterback, and the team will remain under the same 3-4 defense as years past under new head coach Mike McCarthy. While the Steelers are in the midst of an NFL record 22-straight winning seasons, they're also at risk of an NFL record for consecutive playoff losses, going 0-7 in their last seven playoff contests. The question for McCarthy will be how to improve on a veteran team that's had considerable regular season success and gets them over the playoff hump.

McCarthy is known as an offensive coach. The Steelers' new West Coast offense will often be run with three-receiver sets, rather than the tight-end-heavy sets the Steelers ran under former offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith. As a result, the Steelers' receiving core will most likely look much different than last season, with more complementary receivers around star receiver DK Metcalf. 

The Steelers have the 21st pick in this year's NFL Draft, which is considered a strong draft for receivers. Considering McCarthy's offense and the team's need for a receiver, it's been widely speculated that the franchise will likely draft a receiver with the 21st pick in the first round. 

Steelers reporter Ray Fittipaldo was on 93.7 The Fan recently and shared his thoughts on what the organization will do in the offseason.

"DL draft class, not great," Fittipaldo noted. "A lot of cap space. Watch the Steelers in [free agency] with the money they have on that position."

In McCarthy's introductory press conference with the Steelers, he mentioned how on his team that won the Super Bowl, it was the only team during his head coaching career that had a top five defense. Defense wins championships, and for the Steelers' veteran unit to be championship-caliber, they'll have to make some upgrades. 

The Steelers got a boost to their defensive line with last year's first-round pick, defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. Unlike last season, where the Steelers addressed the defensive line in the draft, this year's draft class is not as strong upfront. The team will likely have to look towards free agency to address this, as Fittipaldo mentioned.

The Steelers and their new defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham, will have to turn this defense into a game-wrecking machine, and it starts with the front seven. This year, the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks had by far the best defense in the NFL. The Seahawks' front seven was in the backfield on seemingly every play against the New England Patriots en route to a dominant 29 to 13 victory in the big game.

Steelers' Upgrades Along The Defensive Line Could Turn Pittsburgh Into A Super Bowl Contender

The Steelers' pass rush left much to be desired last season. Yes, they still have superstar edge rusher TJ Watt, who is a force whenever he's on the field, but for Watt to be at his best, it would go a long way if Batman had his Robin. Opposing defenses often shift their focus to Watt without fear of what's going on on the other side. If the Steelers can get a true force on their defensive line that can also rush the passer in free agency, it will do wonders for the defensive unit, and could raise their ceiling to the top of the NFL.

The Steelers have all the building blocks to be at their best in 2026. Legitimate stars on both sides of the ball in Watt and Metcalf, and a winning culture that spans decades, the Steelers will have the cap space to make the necessary additions to build upon this in the offseason and be true contenders. 

Who do you want the Steelers to sign in free agency? Let us know in the comments below!

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