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Steelers 2025 NFL Draft Top-30 Visit Tracker


Jaydon Blue at AT&T Stadium on December 2, 2023 in Arlington, Texas.
Photo by The University of Texas Athletics/University Images via Getty Images

Keep up with the latest pre-draft visits for the Steelers

With the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine officially in the books, attention now turns to prospect pro days and pre-draft visits.

At the conclusion of the combine, each NFL team is able to bring in 30 prospects for a private visit at the facility between March 4 and April 6. These are commonly referred to as “top-30 visits,” though that phrasing can be somewhat confusing, as a scheduled “top-30 visit” doesn’t necessarily mean a player is ranked in the top 30 on a team’s draft board. No on-field workouts are permitted at these visits, but players can undergo physical exams and conduct interviews.

NFL teams are also allowed to conduct video or telephone with draft-eligible players. Per Giants.com, NFL rules restrict clubs to a maximum of “three video or telephone interviews per player, no longer than one hour in length.”

In addition to the 30 official visits, NFL teams are able to hold visits with local players, as long as they do not provide transportation. A “local” player is determined to be a player who is from or attends college in the “local metropolitan area as defined by a current Rand McNally map.”

Pre-draft visits can be huge indicators of a team’s potential interest in a player, and the Steelers, in particular, have used these visits to their advantage. In 2024, the team had top-30 visits with first-round OT Troy Fautanu, ILB Payton Wilson, OL Mason McCormick and DL Logan Lee and had local visits with C Zach Frazier and CB Beanie Bishop (signed as an UDFA). DB Ryan Watts and WR Roman Wilson were the only two draft selections in 2024 that Pittsburgh did not bring in for a top-30 visit.

Here’s a look at the reported top 30 visits for the Steelers heading into 2025, as well as reported local visits. We’ll be keeping this updated leading up through the NFL Draft.

Pittsburgh Steelers reported top-30 visits 2025

Total reported: 13/30

Wide receiver

Defensive line

Quarterback

Running back

Pittsburgh Steelers local visits 2025

Offensive line

Kicker

Kirk Cousins Seeking Post-Draft Trade

After a failed attempt to be released ahead of free agency, Kirk Cousins is now in no rush to force a move out of Atlanta. He is planning to wait until after the draft before waiving his no-trade clause to facilitate a deal, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

The Falcons held onto Cousins long enough for $10MM of his 2025 salary to vest into a full guarantee and have signaled their willingness to keep him as an expensive backup this season. He would prefer to find a starting job elsewhere, though he’s wary of a repeat of last year’s situation in Atlanta. The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $160MM deal in March and drafted Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick six weeks later. That put pressure on the 13-year veteran to live up to his contract while making it clear that he was not the team’s long-term quarterback.

When Cousins hit a patch of rough play in December, the Falcons benched him for Penix, effectively ending the 36-year-old’s tenure in Atlanta after 14 games. In 2025, he doesn’t want a highly-drafted rookie breathing down his neck. That would be a risk with his two most-likely suitors, the Browns and the Giants, who hold the second and third overall picks in April’s draft. After years of instability under center, both teams have been repeatedly linked with the draft’s top two quarterbacks, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.

Cousins’ willingness to wait on a trade should work for his potential suitors. The Browns and the Giants can do their due diligence on Ward, Sanders, and even Jaxson Dart and let the draft play out. The Steelers are considered a “safe bet” to land Aaron Rodgers, but if that doesn’t work out, they could inquire about Cousins, according to Breer. However, Pittsburgh may want to see if a top quarterback falls within range of a trade up from the 21st overall pick.

Cousins would only waive his no-trade clause prior to the draft if his new team commits to not using a first-round pick on quarterback, according to Breer. That condition may not be amenable to front offices in Cleveland and New York that are looking for a long-term franchise quarterback.

It’s possible that the Browns look at a talented roster besieged by injuries last year and decide that trading for Cousins and using the No. 3 pick on an impact receiver or edge rusher is enough to compete in the AFC North. That doesn’t seem likely for the Giants, who have more holes to fill on their roster. They have also signaled a desire to add another veteran and draft a quarterback in the first round, even after signing Jameis Winston.

Cousins’ approach does involve some risk. If the Browns, Giants, and Steelers all solidify their quarterback situations by the end of the draft, he may be left without any suitors headed into the summer. That would leave him stuck in Atlanta as Penix’s backup with a $27.5MM salary that could be a barrier to a trade.

The Falcons would already be absorbing $37.5MM in dead cap space ($12.5MM in 2025 and $25MM in 2026) if they moved Cousins. Eating some or all of his 2025 salary would push their costs to $90MM for just one year and 14 starts from Cousins, a position Falcons owner Arthur Blank would prefer to avoid, according to Breer.

That will, of course, impact how much draft compensation teams will give up to acquire Cousins. A trade out of Atlanta to a team with a starting job available remains his desired outcome, but it seems other dominoes will have to fall first.

Steelers A ‘Safe Bet’ To Sign Rodgers

With interest from the Giants waning, the Steelers are now considered the favorite to land Aaron Rodgers.

It is reportedly a “safe bet” that Rodgers signs in Pittsburgh, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, though the unpredictable quarterback’s timeline remains unknown. He spent six hours visiting the Steelers last week, but left the team facility without a deal.

Neither side appears to be in any rush. The majority of free agency has concluded, and there’s still a month until the draft. Until then, Rodgers remains one of the biggest stories in football, much like his 2023 move to the Jets. He certainly doesn’t shy away from the attention, which will continue until he makes a decision. Florio even speculated that Rodgers could use an upcoming Pat McAfee show in Pittsburgh as a launching pad for his tenure in black and yellow.

The Steelers, meanwhile, already signed Mason Rudolph as a veteran bridge or backup quarterback and could pursue a continue partnership with Russell Wilson. He is still a free agent and has emerged as an alternate option for Pittsburgh if they don’t sign Rodgers. In short, he is not the Steelers’ only option to start at quarterback in 2025.

The inverse, however, might be true. The Vikings are out on Rodgers, and he hasn’t been linked with the Titans or the Browns. No other team has a clear starting opportunity to offer. The NFL’s annual quarterback carousel has started to slow down, and when the music stops, Rodgers may have no choice but to accept the Steelers’ offer if he wants to start this season.

Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders Unlikely To Fall Out Of First Round; Jets, Giants, Browns, Steelers In Play

One of the more intriguing storylines in this year’s draft coverage is Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders’ stock and how long Sanders might have to wait to hear his name called after the draft opens on April 24. There has been some chatter that the scion of Colorado HC and NFL legend Deion Sanders could slip out of the first round entirely, though ESPN’s draft analysts do not expect that to happen.

In a subscribers-only roundup of the latest draft rumors, ESPN’s Jordan Reid says he does not anticipate Sanders falling past the Jets, who hold the No. 7 overall selection. New York saw its latest swing at a first-round QB prospect (Zach Wilson) fail spectacularly, a miss that undermined the fortunes of otherwise talented rosters, and precipitated the failed Aaron Rodgers experiment.

Gang Green signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40MM contract earlier this month, and while there is still some hope that Fields can grow enough as a passer to sufficiently complement his running ability and to turn himself into a an upper crust QB1, the short-term nature of the deal illustrates his current deficiencies in that regard. Sanders may be an imperfect prospect, but his reportedly poor performance in team interviews does not undo the touch, accuracy, and pocket presence he displayed on the field. It would thus not be terribly surprising to see the Jets’ new regime, with its 2025 starter already in place, take a shot at a high-upside talent.

One player who has been something of a forgotten man in the constant QB-related chatter surrounding the Jets is 2024 fifth-rounder Jordan Travis. Travis was in the midst of a terrific final season at Florida State in 2023 when he suffered a gruesome ankle injury that torpedoed his own draft stock. New York took a flier on him last year, though he redshirted his entire rookie season while rehabbing the injury.

According to Travis’ agent, Deiric Jackson, the Jets’ since-ousted staff rushed Travis’ rehab, thereby undermining his chances of seeing game action in 2024. 

“His rehab with the Jets was not the best,” Jackson said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “They tried to rush him. It was too fast. There was pressure on the coaching staff and they tried to get him going sooner than the timeline really was. That caused the setback, and we had to shut him down completely.”

The nature of the setback Jackson mentioned is unclear, though Cimini says new HC Aaron Glenn and his staffers are excited to work with Travis. At the moment, the former Seminole is behind Fields and veteran Tyrod Taylor on the depth chart, and drafting a player like Sanders would immediately put Travis’ Jets future in doubt. But if the club takes a different route in the draft, Travis could get enough reps to prove himself worthy of at least a backup job down the road.

For all of the talk suggesting Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart or even Louisville’s Tyler Shough may have surpassed Sanders on draft boards around the league, Reid believes the Giants – who own the No. 3 overall pick – would be hard-pressed to pass on Sanders. With Cam Ward looking increasingly likely to go to the Titans at No. 1 overall, one AFC executive told Reid the Giants are praying the Browns take a top non-QB talent with the No. 2 pick, thus leaving Sanders available to be selected at No. 3. Just yesterday, we learned that Big Blue’s signing of Jameis Winston would not preclude the hot-seat tandem of GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll from signing a veteran passer like Rodgers or Russell Wilson and adding a QB via their top draft choice.

In the same subscribers-only piece cited above, ESPN’s Field Yates confirms Sanders has a legitimate chance to be a top-three choice and is unlikely to fall out of the top 10-15 selections (despite some sources expressing their worry about making Sanders a top-10 pick). Similarly, Yates and Reid colleague Matt Miller notes the chatter about a dramatic Sanders slide has not come from anyone employed by an NFL club.

Miller acknowledges the Browns remain a viable landing spot for Sanders, and he believes the Steelers and their No. 21 pick represent the prospect’s floor. Pittsburgh has designs on a championship run in 2025, as it recently acquired and extended WR D.K. Metcalf and is seemingly making a hard push for Rodgers. That said, HC Mike Tomlin’s famous streak of .500-or-better seasons rarely leaves the team in position to draft a premium QB prospect, and the 41-year-old Rodgers (and even the 36-year-old Wilson, if the Steelers revisit that possibility) are obviously short-term fixes. The pre-draft concerns that could lead to Sanders falling a bit could also represent a real opportunity for Pittsburgh, as was the case when its AFC North rival Ravens nabbed Lamar Jackson with the No. 32 pick in 2018.

Mike Tomlin Played Central Role In Steelers’ D.K. Metcalf Acquisition

It remains to be seen how the Steelers’ starting quarterback situation will play out for next season. Regardless of who is in place under center, though, D.K. Metcalf will face high expectations with his new team.

The Pro Bowl wideout was acquired via trade last week, giving the Steelers their long-sought-after upgrade at the position. A second-round pick was flipped to Seattle, with Day 3 selections also being swapped in advance of a massive extension being worked out. Metcalf (who was a pending 2026 free agent) is now attached to a four-year, $132MM extension in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers’ efforts to add a high-profile receiver date back to last year’s Brandon Aiyuk pursuit and the continued push to make a move at the position during the 2024 campaign. An acquisition on that front clearly remained a high organizational priority in Metcalf’s case, and The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports head coach Mike Tomlin was “very adamant” about trading for the 27-year-old. Pittsburgh ranked 27th in the NFL in passing yards last season, and a step forward in that regard would be key in improving on offense in 2025.

Finances were of course a factor in this situation. Talk of a Metcalf deal swirled even before his request to be moved went public, and the Seahawks lowered their initial asking price regarding a trade shortly before the Pittsburgh swap was worked out. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes the timing of the trade was affected by Metcalf’s desire to immediately ink a new deal. Seattle generally finalizes extensions during the summer (which is the case with other NFL franchises as well), so remaining in place for a few months may have opened the door to a third Seahawks contract.

On the other hand, Metcalf was known to be seeking a pact averaging at least $30MM per season, and Seattle may well have declined to make such a commitment at any point in the offseason as a result. The trade and Tyler Lockett‘s release have been followed by a Cooper Kupp contract and a new deep threat in the form of Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Those additions will be tasked with contributing to a WR room anchored by 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba now and well into the future. Metcalf, meanwhile, will represent a focal point in Pittsburgh’s passing attack regardless of what happens with George Pickens (who is entering the final year of his rookie pact).

Regarding Metcalf’s Steelers deal, $60MM of the $80MM in locked in money is guaranteed in full (h/t Over the Cap). That figure includes a $30MM signing bonus, along with his base salaries in 2025 ($5MM) and ’26 ($25MM). The Ole Miss product will receive roster bonuses of $6.5MM, $5MM and $5MM on March 17 every year from 2027-29. Metcalf will carry a cap charge of just over $11MM next year, but beyond that his cap numbers will spike to $31MM and beyond; much of the Steelers’ success on offense will thus depend on the success of Tomlin and Co.’s investment.

Aaron Rodgers Visits Steelers

The Aaron Rodgers watch continues, and Friday has seen what could prove to be a notable development. The league’s top remaining free agent quarterback is currently visiting the Steelers’ facility, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The Steelers have long been known as one of the top Rodgers suitors, with discussions picking up around the time of Justin Fields working out a deal with the Jets. Retaining Fields was Pittsburgh’s preference, but his departure leaves the team in need of a veteran passer (which may or may not be 2024 starter Russell Wilson). Mason Rudolph is back in the organization, but his signing has not slowed down Rodgers-Steelers connections.

The Vikings represented the top name to watch on this front until recently. Minnesota has not submitted an offer to Rodgers at this point, and one is not expected as things stand. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is among the suitors which has made an offer. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports it still stands, adding Rodgers is set to meet with the Steelers’ coaches today. A deal could be worked out in short order as a result.

Since Ben Roethlisberger‘s retirement, Pittsburgh has been unable to find a long-term solution under center. Rodgers would not meet that criteria at the age of 41, but the four-time MVP could provide starting-caliber play on a short-term basis for Pittsburgh or any number of teams. Wilson’s time in the organization went well at first, but at the end of the campaign his play (and that of the offense in general) fell short of expectations.

Owner Art Rooney II made it clear after the Steelers’ wild-card loss that keeping Wilson and Fields in place again in 2025 would be unlikely. The latter quickly secured $30MM guaranteed from the Jets, the team which elected to move on from Rodgers under its new regime of Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey. That decision did not come as a surprise, but it has not stopped the longtime Packer from generating a notable market. With preliminary Steelers talks not producing an agreement, the Giants have made an offer of their own (one which is believed to be stronger than Pittsburgh’s).

Wilson is ready to sign a deal for 2025, whether it is with Pittsburgh, New York, Cleveland or another suitor. His future will not be clear until the Rodgers domino falls, however. Joe Flacco is another veteran to watch in the case of the Steelers (and other teams still in need of a passer at this stage of free agency). Pittsburgh could begin the next phase of the QB carousel shortly with a Rodgers arrangement.

Teams Contact Vikings On J.J. McCarthy; Minnesota Standing Down On Aaron Rodgers

MARCH 21: The idea of a Rodgers signing received support from “many” within the Vikings’ organization, Russini’s colleague Alec Lewis confirms (subscription required). Uncertainty over McCarthy’s upside for 2025 looms as a reason for pursuing a short-term veteran option, and the Minnesota breakdown of Rodgers’ performance from last year yielded a strong evaluation of his play in the pocket. The door is of course not entirely closed to a Vikings-Rodgers partnership at this point, and it is clear one would be welcomed from a strong contingent in the building.

MARCH 19: Even at 41, Aaron Rodgers had stalled the quarterback market. The Vikings hovered at the forefront of this stoppage, as the connection between Rodgers and Minnesota proved enough to halt delay the future Hall of Famer’s decision and impact other dominoes from falling.

While the Vikings do not appear to be definitively out on giving Rodgers the chance to complete the Brett Favre career arc, it does sound like they are prepared to stand down. The team is staying out of the Rodgers chase for the time being, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Although the Vikes are still planning to add a veteran passer, it is unlikely to be Rodgers.

[RELATED: Steelers Believe They Remain In Running For Rodgers]

As could be expected, the Vikings have also informed teams J.J. McCarthy is not available via trade. Multiple McCarthy trade calls have commenced this offseason, Pelissero adds. It was rumored late last season, as questionable free agent and draft crops loomed for QB-needy teams, McCarthy would bring trade interest. Seeing as the Vikings centered their 2024 offseason around the No. 10 overall pick and that the team had let Sam Darnold walk in free agency, entertaining trade offers appeared a non-starter.

The Steelers and Giants should be positioned to, even considering Rodgers’ glacial pace this offseason, hear an answer soon. Both teams have made offers, but the Vikings had muddied the market due to presenting intrigue after a 14-3 season with Darnold at the controls. Minnesota’s current stance may not be final, but it will put Rodgers, Pittsburgh and New York to decisions. The Vikings are merely not ready to commit to Rodgers right now, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who indicates the NFC North club “strongly considered” the aging QB. Though, unless Rodgers wants to wait out McCarthy’s offseason work, he will need to make a decision.

Rodgers taking an extended period before choosing would not exactly be out of character, especially at this stage of his career, and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds no indication has emerged this Vikings development will accelerate the Rodgers market. But the Giants and Steelers will soon need answers in order to have some clarity moving forward. The Vikings’ early call here should move the Russell Wilson market along and perhaps give Kirk Cousins a clearer picture about his future. The top option caught in the crosshairs here, Wilson has visited the Browns and Giants and is believed to be ready to join a team soon.

A report from The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson emerged previously indicating some Steelers optimism on Rodgers, who had become a target for the team days before the legal tampering period began. While the Giants were connected to Rodgers first, the Steelers — as their efforts to keep Justin Fields from testing the market failed — soon became a suitor. Nearly nine days into free agency, Anderson adds the Steelers feel like they are “getting closer” on a Rodgers resolution.

The Vikings appear to be aiming lower for a McCarthy bridge, which makes sense given the team’s investment in the former national championship-winning arm. Seeking a player who can start “if needed,” per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, the team has not been tied to Wilson, and while a Cousins reunion would be interesting (seeing as the QB’s $28.5MM dead money figure is now off the books), the Falcons passer has a no-trade clause and passed on being a bridge option for his longtime employer last season.

Joe Flacco, Jameis Winston, Drew Lock, Carson Wentz and Minnesota native Trey Lance remain available. The Vikings nearly cut off this extended Rodgers link by re-signing Daniel Jones, but he chose the Colts due to a better chance to be an extended starter.

A Rodgers signing would have all but buried the opportunity for McCarthy to start in Week 1; the Vikings are clearly hopeful the Michigan product will be able to take over immediately. A lower-profile stopgap would bring insurance rather than a true bridge. The Vikings’ current stance will brighten the spotlight on McCarthy’s form to start the team’s offseason program, which does not begin for multiple weeks. In the meantime, the Giants and Steelers will want to know who their Week 1 starter will be.

The Giants are believed to have submitted the best Rodgers offer, though the Steelers have conveyed their interest and present the best chance for the 20-year veteran to hold onto a starting job throughout the season. The returning Mason Rudolph would profile as a clear Rodgers backup, and the Steelers holding the No. 21 overall pick (compared to the Giants’ No. 3 spot), would limit them in the draft.

The wait continues, and it will be interesting to see if Rodgers actually makes a call or forces his lead suitors to blink early by further delaying his decision. Favre memorably did not give the Vikings QB clarity until mid-August 2009, signing with Minnesota late in training camp. The Packers’ decision to go with Rodgers a year earlier did not become final until early August 2008, and that move uprooted previous Jets starter Chad Pennington, thus updating three teams’ (including the Dolphins) QB plans during camp. It would be stunning if the Giants and Steelers were comfortable with any comparable delay. Their futures with Rodgers should be known fairly soon.