Think you can figure out which Steelers player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!
Hey Steelers fans! We’ve got a new treat for everybody. Some of you have likely seen the daily trivia game that lives in the top right corner above the fold of the site. To date, that game has been the SB Nation in-5 trivia game. Today, that changes here.
We’ve now got a Pittsburgh Steelers version of the game. The SB Nation version has been a general NFL game with active and retired players from all 32 teams featured. Moving forward, at Behind the Steel Curtain you’ll get a daily Steelers version of this game. We’ll be rotating between current Steelers and some of our old favorites and not so well-known options. You can still play the SB Nation version. You just need to go to sbnation.com, where it lives on the front page every day.
You can play the game below and share your results in the comments or on social media. Please share any and all feedback about the game, both good and bad. You can post feedback in the comments, but we also have a Google Form. We’re past the beta stage of the game, but it’s still a work in progress.
See Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 game instructions below the game.
The goal of the game is to guess the correct Steelers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.
After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.
A look at the latest first-round projections for Pittsburgh around the NFL media landscape…
In just over two months, NFL faithful will tune into the much-anticipated 2025 Draft from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The back-and-forth saga of predicting Pittsburgh’s first-round selection will inevitably continue until it is announced on April 24th. In the meantime, the media landscape remains split between a few key positions. The Steelers’ main needs lie at WR, DL, RB, and CB, positions that have primarily occupied projections for a month or so. With that being said, here are the latest of said projections across the NFL media.
Yes, free agents Russell Wilson or Justin Fields could be back. But the Steelers’ pedestrian offense has held them back from playoff success in recent seasons, and Dart had a prolific college career. Over the past two seasons, he has 7,633 passing yards, 51 touchdown throws and 11 interceptions. He’s a capable thrower to all levels of the field and has enough mobility to operate outside the pocket and on the run. Dart also took advantage of Senior Bowl week with a strong showing in front of Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, who was on the field at each practice.
This projection represents a big rise up the board from where Dart currently ranks outside my top 32, but quarterbacks always have a chance to climb given positional value. Keep an eye on Dart here as we get closer to April.
No matter who is behind the center for the Steelers in 2025, the team needs help at wide receiver. Egbuka had two 1,000-yard receiving seasons at Ohio State, and while he primarily lined up in the slot, he has shown he can play outside, as well.
Pittsburgh can’t run it back with George Pickens and a cast of NPCs at wide receiver this season. Pickens, who is entering a contract year, went for 352 more yards than the Steelers’ WR2 and over 600 yards more than their WR3. That was despite missing three games. Egbuka’s ability to navigate the middle of the field and create easy completions is the perfect complement to Pickens’ splash play style.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need an offensive overhaul, and that goes for almost every position other than tight end. They will likely need a new quarterback, but their value is not right at this spot. The offensive line might also be the way to go here after the unit ranked 24th last season, but getting a reliable weapon for their new quarterback also has to be a priority for this team.
Luther Burden III does not fit the mold that we might expect from a dominant receiver, but he has all the tools to be an incredible weapon from Day 1 of his NFL career. He is undersized to play on the outside but is a dynamic inside threat for an NFL offense. His route tree is highly developed for a young player and can be a tremendous weapon on screens and slants with the ball in his hands.
Whoever is taking snaps at quarterback for Pittsburgh next season could use an upgraded receiving corps. Golden can be the big-play complement to George Pickens that the Steelers have sorely lacked.
There has been some scuttlebutt that George Pickens has worn out his welcome in Pittsburgh and could be on the move. If that were to happen, then a predominant slot receiver is not going to help the offense as much as a player like Matthew Golden, who has the potential to stretch the field.
I’ll be honest, I have no idea where the Steelers should go. They could use help at many position groups. Who knows what they’ll do at quarterback, but they need another wide receiver. Golden really made the most of his one year at Texas, making some huge plays in the CFP to help the Longhorns reach the semifinal.
Pittsburgh needs a quarterback but there isn’t anyone talented enough for them to take at No. 21. Besides that, the Steelers need to find another option in the secondary to team up with Joey Porter Jr. Benjamin Morrison is a tough and physical press corner who flashes good timing while being a solid tackler.
Which of these first-round projections for the black and gold is your favorite? How would you feel if the Steelers took a quarterback with pick No. 21?
Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
A big bodied pass-catcher from Stanford would look great in black and gold
Welcome to my first Steelers mock draft of the year. I’ve got to be honest — I don’t love the idea of a mock draft before free agency. Whether it’s a stud WR like Chris Godwin, or a star DT like Milton Williams, their offseason moves will obviously significantly impact their selections.
However, I enjoy evaluating some of the talent the team’s brass will undoubtedly be examining. It’ll help both me and hopefully some of our readers learn more about these prospects.
I only did four rounds here because I’m still familiarizing myself with the projected backend of the class. Without further ado:
Round 1, Pick 21: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Harmon is arguably the most disruptive run-stopper in the draft and also has the chops to pressure the quarterback. He has violent hands and a consistent motor. The Steelers have generally done a solid job stopping the run throughout the years, but Ravens star RB Derrick Henry exploited them last season.
With a chance to win the division on the road, Henry ran for 162 yards on 24 totes, giving the Ravens a leg up in the AFC North, in a 34-17 win over the black and gold. And you probably know what happened in the playoffs. Henry stiff-armed Minkah Fitzpatrick into another stratosphere on his way to a 186-yard game and 2 TDs.
Harmon faced constant double teams and still registered 5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. Simply put, he’s a game-changer.
Big Man, Bigger Motor. That’s the best way to describe Oregon Ducks iDL Derrick Harmon.
If and when the Steelers add a receiver will largely depend on how they feel about last year’s third-round pick, Roman Wilson. Quite frankly, I have no idea where he fits into their future plans after missing essentially all of 2024.
Regardless, they could need another playmaker on the outside, as Wilson and Calvin Austin III
will continue to primarily line up in the slot.
Ayomanor is a polished receiver with veteran-like fluidity in his game. He’s a bully at the line of scrimmage and has great instincts, often finding vacancies by simply slowing down the game. We often see receivers playing at 100% speed each snap, but much like quarterbacks, sometimes taking a step back means taking a step forward.
Sometimes you have to appreciate the Wide Receivers that do the simple stuff well.
Elic Ayomanor is a very good blocker, runs solid routes, wins at the catch point, and has sticky hands.
Round 3, Pick 83: Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
Listen, the Steelers have three really big needs. Ideally, I’d like to see a corner drafted much earlier, but there are many holes to plug.
Strong led all collegiate cornerbacks in both yards allowed per coverage snap (0.24) and completion rate allowed (27.3%).
He’s a lengthy press-man corner with smooth hips and above-average ball skills. He needs to work on calming his approach a bit, as he struggles some on the deep ball because of his tendencies to jump the intermediate routes.
All in all, he’d be a steal at this spot.
Round 4, Pick 122: Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
If you weren’t a fan of this mock so far, I wonder if this changed your mind. Skattebo just has Pittsburgh Steelers “aura.”
The Heisman finalist was a superstar at Arizona State. Last year, he ranked second in the NCAA with 1,711 rushing yards and 21 TDs.
Clearly, there will be questions surrounding his athleticism. He’s a bruiser who will get you three or four yards in his sleep, and good luck stopping him at the goal line … but is he enough of a change of pace with Jaylen Warren? Or does he have too much Najee Harris to his game, regarding lack of explosiveness?
He was born to be a Pittsburgh Steeler, but more so if this were the early 2000s. While he’d be a ton of fun, and I don’t doubt he’s going to be a good player; I’d prefer speed over power here.
But let’s have some fun, for now.
What are your thoughts on this mock and who are some of your favorite prospects in the first four rounds? Let us know in the comments section!
The season may be over, but the NFL never sleeps. Here’s your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know as the Steelers navigate the time before kickoff 2025.
The 2024 NFL season has come to a close and that means the NFL offseason is upon us. Over the last 20 years, the league has tapped into our collective love of football and found a way to hold our attention even when games aren’t being played. With so many things to keep track of — player contract negotiations, the NFL Draft cycle, free agency, blockbuster trades — it can be overwhelming.
That’s why I created this almanac as a helpful guide over the coming months. Whether you bookmark this article or keep it in one of your dozens of open tabs, which are totally part of your highly refined organization system, my goal is to make the offseason as easy for you to follow as possible.
Below you’ll find everything from a list of players whose contracts have expired for the Steelers, draft picks the Steelers possess, definitions for some key terminology you’ll need to know, and important dates to remember.
Pending Free Agents
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
QB: Russell Wilson,Justin Fields, Kyle Allen
RB: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren (RFA)
WR: Mike Williams, Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, Scotty Miller
TE: MyCole Pruitt
OT: Dan Moore Jr., Calvin Anderson
C: Ryan McCollum (Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
OG: James Daniels, Nate Herbig, Max Scharping
DL: Isaiahh Loudermilk
OLB: Jeremiah Moon (ERFA)
ILB: Elandon Roberts, Tyler Matakevich
CB: Donte Jackson, Cameron Sutton, C.J. Henderson, James Pierre
S: Damontae Kazee
Steelers Draft Picks
Photo by John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Steelers currently have eight picks in the NFL draft, but that number can change via trade either before or during the draft. It’s also important to note that some of the pick numbers may change as compensatory picks are awarded to teams. Currently, the Steelers are not projected to receive any compensatory picks.
Round 1, Pick 21
Round 2, Pick 52
Round 3, Pick 83
Round 4, Pick 122
Round 5, Pick 157 (from LAR)
Round 7, Pick 223 (from NO)
Round 7, Pick 229 (from ATL)
Round 7, Pick 242 (from WAS)
Contract & Free Agency Glossary
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Cap Hit — How much a player counts against a team’s salary cap. This figure is determined by adding together a player’s remaining salary and signing bonuses due, divided by the amount of years remaining on their contract.
Compensatory Picks — Additional draft picks between rounds 3-7 awarded to teams by the NFL. When awarding these picks, the NFL considers a player’s playing time, salary and postseason honors to determine if they qualify as a compensatory free agent (CFA). The more CFAs that leave a team without being replaced by incoming CFAs, the more compensatory picks a team might receive, up to a maximum of four. Teams can also receive compensatory picks in the third round if they have a minority coach or executive hired into a head coaching or general manager role by a different team.
Dead Money — Money owed to a player no longer on the roster. This figure counts against the salary cap.
Exclusive Rights Free Agent — A player whose contract has expired after they’ve played fewer than three years in the league. The player is not able to negotiate a deal with other teams if their original team offers them a one-year deal at the league minimum.
Franchise/Transition Tag — Teams have the option of placing the franchise tag on an upcoming free agent. There are three types of franchise tags: exclusive, non-exclusive and transition. The amount of money each tag is worth depends on the player’s position and is calculated following the RFA deadline. Team’s are only allowed to tag a player three times and the number the player is paid increases with each use. The player’s salary increases 120% on a second use of the tag and 140% on a third use.
Exclusive: This tag prevents a player from negotiating with other teams unless the team withdraws the tag. The tag’s value is equal to the average of the top-five salaries at the player’s position for the current season or a 120% salary increase, whichever is higher.
Non-exclusive: The most commonly used, this tag grants the player’s original team the right to match any new offer the player receives. If they elect to let the player leave, they must receive two first-round picks from the player’s new team. The tag’s value is equal to the average of the top-five salaries at the player’s position over the previous five years or a 120% salary increase, whichever is higher.
Transition: The most rarely used, this tag functions the same as the non-exclusive tag, only the original team does not receive compensation if they decline to match an offer. The tag’s value is equal to the average of the top-10 salaries at the player’s position or a 120% salary increase, whichever is higher. The Steelers last used this in 2014 on linebacker Jason Worilds.
Per ESPN, these are the projected tag totals by position:
Restricted Free Agent — A player is eligible to be an RFA if they have played three seasons when their first contract expires. Teams are allowed to extend a qualifying offer — a one-year deal that comes with either a first-round, second-round, original-round, or rights-of-first-refusal tender — that gives them a chance to match any new offer the player might negotiate with a new team.
If the player’s original team declines to match a new offer, they are awarded compensation based on the tender they gave their RFA. The round-based tenders indicate what draft pick an RFA’s new team would have to send the player’s original team. A rights-of-first-refusal tender does not provide any compensation if the player leaves but does grant the original team a chance to keep the player if they match the new offer.
Void Years — Years on a player’s contract that they will never play on. This technique has been gaining popularity in NFL circles, as it allows to manipulate a player’s cap hit by spreading out the signing bonus into years where the player’s will not receive a base salary. It’s essentially a win-win for the team and player as the player will get more money upfront in the short term with the chance at signing a new contract sooner, while the team gets to lower the player’s cap hit. One setback for the team is that when a player’s void years trigger, they do not count towards a compensatory pick should they sign with a new team.
ImportantDates
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Feb. 18 — The window for teams to designate Franchise or Transition players opens
Feb. 24-March 3 — NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis
March 4 — 4 PM (EST) deadline for designating Franchise or Transition players
March 10 — Negotiation Period opens for NFL free agents
March 12 — Free Agency officially opens and teams are allowed to make trades
March 30-April 2 — Annual League Meeting
April 16 — Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview, or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its club facility.5
April 18 — Deadline for Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) to sign offer sheets
April 21 — Teams with returning head coaches may begin offseason training programs
April 23 — Deadline for teams to exercise Rights of First Refusal on their RFAs AND deadline for teams to test and interview draft prospects
The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2025 offseason without a legitimate starting quarterback under contract. While bringing back Justin Fields or potentially running things back with Russell Wilson are options, many would rather see Pittsburgh swing a bit further to try and land a bigger fish. Matthew Stafford is becoming a popular name, but it’s another Super Bowl winner that former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher thinks the organization will entertain – Aaron Rodgers.
Cowher went on The Dan Patrick Showand said he expects there to be conversations internally in Pittsburgh about bringing in the four-time NFL MVP.
“I think there’s going to be a sense of urgency,” Cowher said. “Taking some guys on the back end of their careers. T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward. They’re in the latter stages of their careers. So they want to win now. That’s a big part of what they want to do, but you’ve also got to have a plan moving forward and at that position. There will be dialogue there, but those will be conversations taking place in that building.”
Steelers safety DeShon Elliott made his feelings known about this possibility, saying Rodgers can “leave his a** at the retirement home” in an Instagram comment.
While the Jets didn’t have a great season in 2024, finishing 5-12, Rodgers threw 28 touchdown passes and is clearly still a starting-caliber quarterback. That said, what does a 42 year-old quarterback do for the immediate future of the Steelers? Does he give them a Super Bowl ceiling? Almost certainly not. For that reason, bringing in Rodgers over someone like Fields wouldn’t make a ton of sense.
The Steelers could land Matthew Stafford should this trade become reality
As soon as the clock hit zero in the divisional round playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams, rumors and speculation began to surround the Rams and the future of their quarterback, Matthew Stafford. The Super Bowl champion quarterback indicated he still has a lot of good football left in him, but there are implications that he may have played his final game as a Ram.
Stafford’s wife, Kelly, has hinted at a potential team change both on Instagram and on her podcast. She posted a blurry photo of herself and Matthew with the caption “Future might be blurry but the present is always clear with you.” The Rams also owe Stafford a roster bonus of $4 million if he is on the roster on the third day of the new league year. So if a trade does happen, it will very likely be March 12 or March 13.
CBS Sports proposed a trade that would see the Steelers and Rams swap first-round picks in 2025 while Pittsburgh would give the Rams a 2025 second-round pick and a conditional 2026 second-round pick in exchange for Stafford.
While he is 37 years old, Stafford is still a top 10 quarterback in the NFL – borderline top 10 at the absolute worst. He had the Rams within mere plays of an appearance in the NFC Championship Game, and very likely a Super Bowl appearance. He was eighth in success rate, 11th in QBR, and showed he still has the ability to make the big throws in the big moments. Should the Steelers be able to get him, it’s an avenue that should be explored, especially if they can get it done with this exact trade. They would still have a first-round pick and have the ability to add the pieces necessary to compete.
Think you can figure out which Steelers player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!
Hey Steelers fans! We’ve got a new treat for everybody. Some of you have likely seen the daily trivia game that lives in the top right corner above the fold of the site. To date, that game has been the SB Nation in-5 trivia game. Today, that changes here.
We’ve now got a Pittsburgh Steelers version of the game. The SB Nation version has been a general NFL game with active and retired players from all 32 teams featured. Moving forward, at Behind the Steel Curtain you’ll get a daily Steelers version of this game. We’ll be rotating between current Steelers and some of our old favorites and not so well-known options. You can still play the SB Nation version. You just need to go to sbnation.com, where it lives on the front page every day.
You can play the game below and share your results in the comments or on social media. Please share any and all feedback about the game, both good and bad. You can post feedback in the comments, but we also have a Google Form. We’re past the beta stage of the game, but it’s still a work in progress.
See Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 game instructions below the game.
The goal of the game is to guess the correct Steelers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.
After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.
The Pittsburgh Steelers got tremendous production from Justin Fields in 2024. In six starts to begin the year, the former first-round pick of the Bears had 10 total touchdowns to just one interception and led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record in that span.
Mike Tomlin, though, still benched Fields for Russell Wilson, which made many questioning what Tomlin was thinking. And while Wilson had a great span of games, the end of the season losing streak had some saying it was time to put Fields back in as Wilson struggled in the final month. Fields and Wilson are both set to be free agents next month. And while the Steelers could bring back the 25 year-old, they may only be able to do so under certain circumstances. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Fields would be open to remaining in Pittsburgh if there is a path for him to be the starter.
“Both sides, Fields and the Steelers, are certainly open to a potential reunion,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “Fields wants a realistic shot to start. He wants a clear path to be the guy for a full season, which he was not last year.”
Fields is one of the options that makes the most sense for the Steelers. His age, combined with his talent and success last year, as well as the scheme fit under Arthur Smith make him a more sensible signing compared to someone like Aaron Rodgers or Wilson.
Free agency is roughly one month away, and teams are preparing for the first major roster-building checkpoint on the offseason calendar. In several cases, of course, the lead-in to the start of the new league year will require cost-cutting measures.
Teams expect the 2025 cap ceiling to check in somewhere between $265MM and $275MM, providing a general target to aim for before the final figure is unveiled by the NFL. Using a projected cap of $272.5MM, here is a look at where all 32 teams currently stand (courtesy of Over the Cap):
New England Patriots: $119.8MM
Las Vegas Raiders: $92.53MM
Washington Commanders: $75.21MM
Arizona Cardinals: $71.33MM
Los Angeles Chargers: $63.41MM
Chicago Bears: $62.97MM
Minnesota Vikings: $58.01MM
Pittsburgh Steelers: $53.26MM
Cincinnati Bengals: $46.26MM
Detroit Lions: $45.69MM
San Francisco 49ers: $44.26MM
Tennessee Titans: $44.08MM
New York Giants: $43.38MM
Green Bay Packers: $42.14MM
Los Angeles Rams: $38.33MM
Denver Broncos: $34.78MM
Jacksonville Jaguars: $32.27MM
Indianapolis Colts: $28.25MM
Carolina Panthers: $20.33MM
Philadelphia Eagles: $18.08MM
New York Jets: $16.86MM
Baltimore Ravens: $5.96MM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $2.24MM
Houston Texans: $99K over the cap
Kansas City Chiefs: $916K over
Dallas Cowboys: $2.85MM over
Miami Dolphins: $5.44MM over
Atlanta Falcons: $11.15MM over
Seattle Seahawks: $13.46MM over
Buffalo Bills: $14.18MM over
Cleveland Browns: $30.17MM over
New Orleans Saints: $54.11MM over
These figures will of course change based on where the final cap ceiling winds up for the year, but they take into account each team’s carryover amount for 2025. Even with those savings in play, more than one quarter of the league finds itself in need of cost-shedding moves to simply achieve cap compliance by mid-March.
With the Patriots leading the way in terms of spending power, they will be a team to watch closely once free agency begins. The team’s willingness (or lack thereof) to make major free agent additions last year was a talking point, and it will be interesting to see if the regime featuring de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and new head coach Mike Vrabel takes a different approach in 2025. A serious push for Tee Higgins– by far the most sought-after wideout set to hit the market – can be expected.
Aside from Higgins, the Bengals have a number of financial priorities. Working out a monster extension for fellow receiver Ja’Marr Chase and a new deal (and accompanying raise) for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson are key goals for the franchise. Quarterback Joe Burrowis prepared to restructure his own pact to create cap space for this offseason, but the team will no doubt need to break with tradition in terms of contract structure and guarantees to keep its core intact.
The Colts’ offseason has been defined in large part by a focus on retaining in-house players during recent years. That approach has not paid off as hoped, and general manager Chris Ballard said last month he plans to oversee a shift in roster-building philosophy this year. With the finances to make at least a modest addition or two on the open market, Indianapolis could be a suitor for some of the middle-class free agent options.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 09: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (7) throws a pass during Super Bowl LIX | Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Come and join this merry band of Steelers’ faithful for some lively debate about our Steelers, good food, music, and the merits of the odd cold beverage.
Live from Delaware, it’s Saturday Night! I, NAS204PSU, am here to bring you this Saturday Night Open Thread (aka SNOT).
Well, the 2024 season is in the books, and the Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl champions. The entire NFL is now officially in the off-season.
This 6 pack of questions is here to get the conversation going is below, also let us know what you’re eating/drinking!
Does the Eagles Super Bowl blowout victory over the Chiefs make you feel better about our week 15 loss to Eagles and/or worse about the Week 17 loss to the chiefs?
If the Steelers could learn one thing from the Eagles, what should it be?
The Steelers appear to be retaining Pat “Tire-Fire” Meyer as the OL coach. What are the odds of a “Matt Canada”-esque 2025 mid season firing?
It’s mock draft season: which level of mock drafts do you want to see on BTSC: a) Multiple articles / mocks every week b)1 mock/week c)1mock /month d)Maybe 2-3 the whole off-season up to draft e)None/don’t care about mocks
5. Around the NFL, players like Myles Garrett and Deebo Samuel are making trade requests. Have you ever asked/demanded to transfer / change roles at work? How did it work out?
6. What is the more over-priced valentines gift this year: one dozen roses OR a dozen eggs?
Valentine BONUS: Tell us your favorite song about love/relationships.