We've arrived in March and spring is blooming for the Pittsburgh Steelers after a dark ending to a promising 2024 campaign. Free agency looms over the Steelers, and their options are becoming clearer.
However, free agency creates the illusion of choice, which means that general manager Omar Khan and the assets he's interested in will have tough choices to make. What happens the week of March 12 will affect their draft plans as well.
From quarterback to defensive tackle, cornerback, wideout, and interior defensive lineman, March is when they begin charting out their immediate future.
Russell Wilson vs. Aaron Rodgers vs. Justin Fields
Justin Fields and Russell Wilson offer more of the same as they did when splitting starts as the Steelers starter in 2024. However, they both have lower ceilings than Rodgers.
Unfortunately, at this stage of his career, Rodgers’s floor is lower. He attracts controversies, possesses an ego that has surpassed his actual talent and has become a toxic locker room figure — plus he’s older and more fragile than Fields or Wilson.
He’s also stubborn. He was reluctant to change the offense for Mike Lafleur and the Jets had to hire his former offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, to appease him. Even Hackett was discouraged from utilizing pre-snap motions or diversifying the offense because Rodgers is so committed to running the static pre-snap offense he has diagnosed coverages for over two decades.
Mike Tomlin won’t want to give up that degree of control to a rental, even if his job is on the line. Fields is still young enough at 26 to achieve his potential. While he was solid a year ago, that’s only a marginal improvement from what the Steelers had before in Kenny Pickett.
Fields was extremely conservative in the 2024 season, but that’s not what the Steelers need during a year when progress is a necessity. He was less willing to improvise and scramble, which are two of his strengths, but he also wouldn’t throw over the top of the defense often. Fields produced like a game manager because he's turnover-prone when he's tasked with airing it out.
He's being linked to the Raiders, who aren’t operating in as much of a do-or-die environment. It’s beginning to appear more and more likely that Russell Wilson will captain the ship in 2025.
D.J. Reed vs. Donte Jackson
The Jets' misfortune could be the Steelers' blessing. Between the murmurs of Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and D.J. Reed, the Steelers could just import the entire Jets roster file into their hard drive and trot that group out of the tunnel in 2025.
Reed was an excellent cover corner despite standing at just 5-foot-9. But he doesn't get them any younger at cornerback. All this talk is moot if Donte Jackson re-signs, though. Jackson tied for the AFC lead with five interceptions. However, in the second half of the year, a nagging back injury led to the quality of his coverage diminishing. By the end of the season, Jackson and the defense’s communication breakdowns led to the pass defense imploding upon itself.
His asking price is likely to be significantly less than Reed’s in the open market. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. If I had to bet, I'd bet on the fact that Jackson will be back in the black and yellow, given his familiarity.
Davante Adams vs. Cooper Kupp
Cooper Kupp and Davante Adams are two of the premier receivers of the past decade. However, Adams appears to have more gas left in the tank. This past season, he recorded 85 receptions for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns. Kupp missed time again due to injury but reeled in 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games.
However, after experiencing years of dysfunction, Pittsburgh can offer Adams a semblance of stability that has been lacking in his most recent stops through Vegas and New York. Meanwhile, Kupp is a riskier option. Kupp would have to be acquired in a trade with Los Angeles — Adams is likely to be cut by New York — but his injury history mitigates his value. He also is owed more than $32 million the next two years, which isn’t a crippling investment if he doesn’t pan out.
Adams is attached at the hip to Rodgers and they may ride each other’s coattails to their next destination. But if they can figure out their quarterback situation first, Adams is the obvious choice who boosts the downfield passing attack.
Who the Steelers choose depends on who their next quarterback is. Adams would pair well with Wilson as a big downfield threat. Conversely, Kupp is better acclimated to running routes for the quick passing game and across the middle. If the Steelers choose to stick with Justin Fields as their quarterback for 2025, Kupp should be their primary target in exchange for mid-round picks.
Javon Hargrave vs. B.J. Hill
The Steelers are reportedly in the market for a veteran defensive tackle to help shore up their flagging run defense. B.J. Hill and Javon Hargrave are two of the top defensive tackles in football. However, whereas Hargrave excels as a pass rusher, Hill is more stout against the run.
Last season, Hill logged 56 tackles, three sacks, and batted down four passes. Conversely, Hargrave missed all but three games in 2024 and will be released by the Niners. Hargrave, a former Steeler, broke out during his three-year stint with the Eagles.
In 2022, Hargrave led all interior linemen in sacks with 11. However, he failed to replicate that success in San Francisco. Hill is the more reliable nose tackle who eats up blocks in the trenches without getting much shine and gets in the backfield occasionally, while Hargrave offers the widest variance in production.