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BTSC’s 2025 Steelers Offseason Almanac

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

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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

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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:
- QB: $41,325,000 (non-exclusive), $35,267,000 (transition)
- RB: $11,951,000 (non-exclusive), $9,765,000 (transition)
- WR: $25,693,000 (non-exclusive), $22,523,000 (transition)
- TE: $14,241,000 (non-exclusive), $12,069,000 (transition)
- OL: $25,156,000 (non-exclusive), $22,745,000 (transition)
- DE: $24,727,000 (non-exclusive), $20,769,000 (transition)
- DT: $23,468,000 (non-exclusive), $18,934,000 (transition)
- LB: $27,050,000 (non-exclusive), $22,612,000 (transition)
- CB: $20,357,000 (non-exclusive), $17,198,000 (transition)
- S: $19,626,000 (non-exclusive), $15,598,000 (transition)
- K/P: $6,459,000 (non-exclusive), $5,830,000 (transition)
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.
Important Dates

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- 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
- April 24-26 — NFL Draft
- May 2-5 OR May 9-12 — Rookie minicamp
- Mid/Late July — Training Camp begins
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Bill Cowher expects Steelers to entertain signing QB Aaron Rodgers

Will the Steelers sign Aaron Rodgers?
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 Show and 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.
NFL Trade proposal gives Steelers top 10 quarterback

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.
College student tops Dame in ASG 3-point contest
On Sunday night, 18-year-old college student Jaren Barajas beat Bucks star Damian Lillard in a 3-point shooting contest during the NBA All-Star Game and won $100,000.
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Re-evaluation: One Steeler stood out on defensive line
Steel City Underground presents a post-2024 NFL season re-evaluation of each positional group on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster in this series, highlighting the standout player or players among each group.
The Steelers placed greater emphasis on the effectiveness of their defensive front, especially in being more dominant in stopping the run of late. They didn’t make major personnel changes prior to the season, adding just two new players to the positional group. They did extend a contract to the senior-most team captain.
2024 Roster: Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Larry Ogunjobi, Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams, Isaiahh Loudermilk, DeMarvin Leal, Logan Lee
Heyward takes top D-line honors
2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Cameron Heyward was given a contract extension ahead of the season despite a 2023 regular season that saw him deal with injuries. At 35, many expected Heyward to merely be a placeholder. Instead, he was the most dominant player on the defensive line.
In fact, Heyward proved he had more than enough gas left in the tank as he led all defensive linemen in the NFL and earned his fourth first-team All-Pro award by putting together 71 tackles (12 for a loss of yardage), 20 quarterback hits, 8.0 sacks, and 11 pass defenses.
One could argue that Heyward was the soul of the Pittsburgh defense in 2024. Last season was one of the best of his career. When Heyward was in the game (71 percent of all defensive snaps), the Steelers limited opponents to a 3.7 yards per carry average compared to 5.1 when he was not.
If we were handing out grades, Heyward would easily earn an “A” for his performance and value.
Rounding out the rest of the D-line
Although all but Logan Lee – a sixth round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft that sat the entirety of the season due to a calf injury – saw play, Keeanu Benton – in his second season – was most complimentary to Heyward’s play. With a slightly increased snap count, Benton was able to apply pressure from the nose tackle position.
Benton wasn’t a sack machine – earning just 1.0 for the season – but his ability to get off of blocks and record 11 pressures and 8 quarterback hits created opportunities for a Steelers defense that wanted to disrupt, take advantage of turnovers, and dominate possible.
Ogunjobi missed two games due to injury. Due to Benton’s play, Ogunjobi was on the field less in 2024, and recorded just 1.5 sacks, 41 combined tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, and 7 QB hits.
Lowry, a free agent addition for 2024, made a couple splash plays for Pittsburgh, but played just 21 percent of defensive snaps. He was overshadowed by Montravius Adams and Loudermilk, with Adams having the best season of the trio. Adams had 14 tackles (two for a loss of yardage) in 11 games, and 1.0 sacks.
Because Leal split time between the line and outside linebacker, his numbers took a hit. That was especially true after he sustained a neck injury early in the season that kept him sidelined after Week 5.
Overall re-evaluation
The defensive line has depth concerns following a season that wasn’t exactly exceptional. In fact, outside of Heyward, the line was middle of the pack when compared to other NFL teams. When games needed to be won in the trenches, the Steelers saw themselves bullied by bigger offensive lines.
Loudermilk is a free agent and may be on his way out the door in order to free up a spot for the Steelers to either add a draft selection in 2025 or younger, bolder free agent acquisition. He may not be the only player who exits if Pittsburgh is serious about building a defensive line for their future.
Re-evaluation: One Steeler stood out on defensive line appeared first on Steel City Underground.
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Introducing Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 daily trivia!

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.
Previous games
Soon to come after we get started!
Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games
Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 instructions
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.
Enjoy!