The Pittsburgh Steelers' wait for Aaron Rodgers is starting to look like the Rocky XXXVIII poster from the movie “Airplane II: The Sequel.” But it’s not that the Steelers haven’t done anything, as they made a key trade. But here is the biggest mistake the Steelers made in Week 1 of 2026 NFL free agency.
Sure, the Steelers made the playoffs in 2025. But they did it in a dysfunctional division. The AFC North wasn’t as bad as the NFC South, but that’s a small consolation.
The point is, the Steelers were not Super Bowl contenders in 2025. And they don’t look like it for 2026, either. It’s almost like the Steelers are still happy with that we-did-not-have-a-losing-season mindset. That's pretty gross for a once-proud franchise.
The Steelers didn’t do enough in free agency
Basically, the Steelers don’t seem to understand what they do and don’t have, according to a post on ESPN's Get Up.
“You have to be honest with yourself about what you have,” Dan Graziano said. “I think the Steelers overrate their roster the last couple of years. And think, oh, we’re a quarterback away from contending, with the rest of this team. I don't think the defense is that anymore.
“That defense was getting old and played like an old defense last year. Are they going to make major changes on that side of the ball? It doesn’t look like it.”
The Steelers’ defensive line graded out OK in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. They ranked No. 3 with Cameron Heyward leading the way.
However, Malik Harrison (55.1) and Patrick Queen (43.5) ranked near the bottom among the linebackers in the NFL.
Yes, they signed cornerback Jamel Dean, and their secondary should be solid with him, Joey Porter Jr., and Asante Samuel Jr.
But the Steelers needed an infusion for their defense. And here’s why.
Steelers can’t count on the offense
Yes, if Rodgers returns in 2026, the Steelers will be decent on offense. Having weapons like DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. will help Rodgers a lot. But Rodgers didn’t do much in 2025. He had five games with fewer than 200 yards passing. Furthermore, he authored 13 games with under 250 yards in the air.
Also, he had 10 games with either one touchdown pass or zero. It’s simply not going to be a dynamic offense with a 42-year-old quarterback.
Therefore, the defense needs to be dominant. The Steelers must control the game from the defensive side of the ball.
Last year, they ranked No. 25 in yards allowed, giving up 356.9 per contest. There were times they looked awful. They were a little better in points allowed at No. 17. However, that is middle of the pack, not dominant.
The lack of free-agent punch on that side of the ball seems to mean the Steelers think Dean is the answer to their problems. Dean seems to think he’s that guy, according to Yahoo.
“All we do is win here,” Dean said. “I’m at the point of my career where I’m trying to chase another Super Bowl.
“It really comes to the little things. It’s really all about getting to the playoffs. Once you get into the playoffs, it’s a whole new season. For the most part, that’s the time we got to come together and work our fundamentals and do what we do best.”
Time will tell, but for now, it looks like the Steelers’ conservative approach to free agency will be their undoing for 2026.
What could the Steelers have done?
They could have made a move to improve their linebacker group. Devin Lloyd, Nakobe Dean, or Quay Walker would have looked good in the teeth of the Steelers' defense.
They could have also made things easier for TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith to do their thing on the edges. If Dean really pans out to make the secondary tough, a three-level success story would make this defense more like the Broncos were in 2025.
