The Pittsburgh Steelers had a solid 2024 season. Pittsburgh finished the regular season 10-7 and earned a spot in the AFC playoffs. Unfortunately, they got bounced by the Ravens in the Wild Card round. Now the Steelers have plenty of questions to answer as they try to improve the roster during the offseason.

In some ways, the Steelers feel like a team stuck in purgatory. Yes, Pittsburgh continues to have winning season after winning season. However, they have not made any significant noise in the playoffs since Ben Roethlisberger's retirement.

At this rate, it feels like the Steelers won't be able to get over the hump unless they find a new franchise quarterback. Obviously, this is easier said than done, but Pittsburgh desperately needs one to plot a new direction for the franchise.

The quarterback position is the most important role on the team, but Pittsburgh also has other needs on both sides of the football. They have roughly $52 million in cap space to work with heading into the offseason, which is a solid position to be in.

The Steelers need to retain a few of their key players on offense to give them flexibility throughout free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.

But which players should they keep?

Below we will explore three Steelers players that Pittsburgh needs to re-sign before NFL free agency kicks off in March.

How do the Steelers decide between Justin Field and Russell Wilson?

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) warms up next to quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium.
Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The Steelers are in an awkward situation at the quarterback position. Pittsburgh brought in both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson to replace Kenny Pickett after he proved that he is not a franchise quarterback. This ended up working out well for the Steelers in a “throw everything at the wall” kind of strategy. However, they will need to do better moving forward.

Unfortunately, this may not be the offseason to go hunting for a new quarterback. There is plenty of demand around the NFL for a starting quarterback and very few options available. Vikings QB Sam Darnold is the best option in free agency, and Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward look like the best quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

None of those players are realistic choices for Pittsburgh. Darnold will be incredible expensive if he hits free agency, and both Sanders and Ward will be drafted within the top five picks of the draft. Pittsburgh could try to trade up into that range, but it would be an irresponsible move.

All of that said, I believe the Steelers need to re-sign either Justin Fields or Russell Wilson with the idea of starting one of them in 2025. But which one should Pittsburgh choose?

Fields would be my preference, both because of age and how much he is likely to cost.

Over the Cap projects that Wilson could command roughly $16 million per season on a new contract, which would likely be a one- or two-year deal. Meanwhile, Fields' projected valuation is only $7 million per season.

Fields may not be the future of the franchise, but getting him on a cheap contract is a smart move the Steelers should seriously consider.

Pittsburgh needs a veteran like James Daniels on the offensive line

The Steelers invested a ton of resources in their offensive line during the offseason last year. Pittsburgh drafted three rookie offensive linemen, all of whom have played a major role for the team in 2024. They will be counted on to be future starters.

Pittsburgh would be wise to bring back a player like James Daniels to have some veteran leadership on the o-line. Daniels suffered an Achilles injury in late September that ended his 2024 campaign. That should not scare them away from re-signing him.

Daniels played incredibly well during his three-year contract with the Steelers. So long as the two sides can agree on a fair price, this feels like a no-brainer.

Luckily, Over the Cap believes that Daniels will only be able to net a cheap contract because he is coming off a major injury.

Should the Steelers keep Jaylen Warren over Najee Harris?

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) and Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks
© Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The Steelers love to run the football. Both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are impending free agents, which makes the position a complete mystery at this point when projecting forward to 2025.

I believe that Pittsburgh needs to re-sign at least one of these players. Personally, my preference is for Jaylen Warren.

The Steelers know what Najee Harris is at this point in his career. Harris will get you 1,000 yards rushing on the season, but he is not an efficient back. Over the Cap projects he could want at least $7 million per season on a new contract, which is too expensive for the limited impact he has on Pittsburgh's offense.

Meanwhile, Warren is a three-down back who can do it all. His efficiency is much better than Harris, and he can likely be retained for roughly half the price.

Keeping Warren should not prevent Pittsburgh from drafting a running back in a stacked 2025 draft class. However, it does give the Steelers one reliable back who they can build around moving over the next few seasons.