The Pittsburgh Steelers need a major overhaul. After long-time head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down, Pittsburgh is looking to reset its franchise after years of spinning its wheels aimlessly. With a ton of issues to fix in the roster, the team has plenty of options on where to go in free agency.
That being said, one selection stands out as the biggest move the Steelers can make this offseason to fix their flaws. One free agent, in particular, could be the solution to their issues that have plagued them for over half a decade now. For the last few years, the Steelers' offense has been in the gutter. They've ranked bottom ten in yards per game for the last five years.
While playcalling has certainly been an issue, it also can't be denied that the Steelers have lacked a dynamic option at quarterback. The Steelers cycled between an old Ben Roethlisberger (who retired after the 2020 season), Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, an old Russell Wilson, and an old Aaron Rodgers under center. That's just not a recipe for success in the modern NFL.
This free agency, the Steelers can take a chance on a guy who's developed significantly as a quarterback. At worst, he's a bridge option for next year's quarterback class. However, he also has the potential to be the future of Pittsburgh for years to come: Malik Willis.
Malik Willis is a sneaky-good pickup for the Steelers
Drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2022 (the same year the Steelers drafted Pickett), Willis' first few seasons in the league were terrible. Willis was projected to be a raw prospect who had great physical tools but struggled with accuracy and reading the field. That much was apparent when he started for the Titans.
Willis' greenness as a quarterback was on full display in Tennessee, much to the fans' dismay. He had terrible footwork and struggled to see the field cleanly. He didn't see the field much with the Titans; his terrible first few reps with the team were enough to dissuade the front office from investing in him as a quarterback. They went so far as to draft Will Levis the year after Willis was drafted.
After two seasons with the Titans, Willis was traded to the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers' former team. There, Willis took a backseat to starter Jordan Love as the primary backup. While the quarterback didn't see a lot of action with the Packers, the short time that he took over has been more encouraging than anything we've seen from him. He became a respectable passer from the pocket while still utilizing his wheels when needed.
After an excellent 2025 season where he had to step in after Love suffered an injury, Willis is projected to be a top free agent this offseason. Teams that lack a quarterback this season could take a flier on the former third-round pick and see if he develops even further. The Steelers could use a guy like Willis under center.
At this point, the Steelers need some semblance of a functioning offense in order to at least be competitive. It doesn't need to be a juggernaut like the Lions and the 49ers of the league, but it just needs to be passable. A good offense breeds development from the skill position players. The Steelers have the bones of a solid offense: with Pat Friermuth, DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin, and Jaylen Warren, something can be made from that core.
Will Willis make this core a contender? No, but the Steelers at this point don't need to compete. Instead, they need to focus on development and preparing for the future. Willis is the perfect bridge quarterback who can get them through this 2026 season and could potentially become the guy for the team. His ability to create outside of the pocket with his runs will be a welcome change of pace after Rodgers' statue-esque movement in the pocket last season.
It's not a home-run fix that will magically cure the Steelers' offensive woes. But it will surely put them in the right direction moving forward, if they play their cards right this season and the next.
