Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Impressed By Pittsburgh's Sneaky Additions: "I Like What They Did"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason has been an absolute circus and quite hectic since their season ended in early January. After hiring Mike McCarthy as their first new head coach in nearly two decades, the organization knew that it had to go to work to get better ahead of the 2026 season. Following some free agent signings, as well as the trade for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., the team has received high praise amongst many media outlets. Now, former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has also given his former team some praise regarding the moves they have made.

Pittsburgh had some holes to fill heading into the offseason, especially at the wide receiver position given the struggles of DK Metcalf in 2025, compared to his previous NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. However, offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo left in free agency, as did the 2025 Team MVP and running back Kenneth Gainwell, creating even more needs on the roster. With those departures, General Manager Omar Khan quickly went to work to find ways to make the roster strong following some of these departures. Roethlisberger detailed his thoughts of the moves on his latest episode of Footbahlin.

"Honestly, I like what the Steelers have done. I think there's been some under the radar type pickups," Roethlisberger said. "Some guys that are going to be like, 'Oh, that's a good pickup.' On defense especially, like to fill up some spots on the defense within the secondary, some d-line work, I like what they did there."

One thing to note with these acquisitions is the proactive approach the organization has had to replace some key free agent losses. Pittsburgh also signed running back Rico Dowdle shortly after getting news of Gainwell's departure, making for a great one-two punch in the backfield with running back Jaylen Warren. Pittsburgh is still believed to add another wide receiver to help round out the tandem of Metcalf alongside Pittman as well. It is also expected that, while they did sign Brock Hoffman to help the offensive line, they will still seek a college prospect at that position in the upcoming NFL Draft too.

The team also made a strong push of signing some younger guys to come in and fill voids on the roster, which they have also received praise for. The biggest difference from years past is the proactive approach to this offseason, rather than being complacent and reactivate. The organization did not just sit back and wait in hopes of things to get better; they immediately made moves to make sure they would be competitive in 2026.

Steelers' Proactive Moves Could Spark Change In Pittsburgh

The organization also did a great job on defense to fill some holes. It was discussed that they could be looking to take a safety in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the team signed Jaquan Brisker, formerly of the Chicago Bears. Brisker is a big, physical defensive back that had a great college career with the Penn State Nittany Lions. Brisker also played at Pittsburgh-area Gateway High School, so 2026 will be a sort of homecoming for him in the Steel City.

Another acquisition to the secondary, which Roethlisberger discussed on his podcast, came when the team signed Jamel Dean. Dean also came over from an NFC team, as he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The front office still has work to do as the draft approaches, but their quick response to filling out holes on the roster can go a long way to finding success in 2026.

While many months remain until the 2026 regular season does kickoff, these moves have brought about optimism for great reason. The Steelers are poised to be Super Bowl contenders once again, but fans will continue to speculate until the 2026 NFL Draft is completed. For now, these new additions are a step in the right direction.

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