As promised, Steelers Read & React is back this week with our second of two mock offseasons to kick off the column’s return. This time around, Ryan Parish will be taking control of the Steelers and implementing his vision for the team through free agency, the draft, trades, and all other aspects of roster management. Like Ryan did last week, Ryland Bickley will be emceeing the process and also asking questions about the plan.
The same rules apply as last week: It’s important to note these are not meant to be predictions of what the Steelers WILL do — but rather what WE would do if given full control and final say over Pittsburgh’s roster. Also, this exercise won’t be covering coaching changes as the real-world window for that is more or less closed.
With the details out of the way, let’s take a look:
RB: It’s your turn to wear the GM hat for a day, Ryan. Before we kick off the roster moves, let’s start off the same way my blueprint did: Give me a quick breakdown of your thoughts on the initial roster. What’s the team’s current trajectory? Strengths and weaknesses? And how would you describe your strategy?
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
RP: The Steelers have been doing a delicate dance for a few years now of trying to rebuild their roster without bottoming out. The quarterback position remains at the core of their struggles, but as Ryland pointed out last week, but this offseason doesn’t provide an easily attainable path to finding one.
Beyond quarterback, the Steeler defensive line needs some revitalization. Cam Heyward is in the twilight of his career, and Larry Ogunjobi has been mostly disappointing and is projected to be a cap casualty by most analysts. The Steelers have the cap space to retain him if they wish, but I’m prioritizing getting reps for my younger players and finding a nose tackle so we can get Keeanu Benton back to his more natural position.
Wide receiver is another glaring need, though the free agent class is a little underwhelming.
Elsewhere on the roster, the offensive line is still a work in progress. A core philosophy I have about team building is “It never hurts to keep adding linemen.” Additionally, the secondary needs a running mate for Joey Porter Jr. and an upgrade at nickel. Outside linebacker remains the team’s most obvious strength, but an upgrade to that fourth spot on the depth chart is always welcome.
Overall, I still hope for the development of some young players from the previous two drafts. I will prioritize getting young players reps where possible this year, especially on offense. However, I want to use every tool available to Pittsburgh, so I will also look for upgrades in Free Agency for a few position groups.
That said, I think the Steelers will soon need to take a long look in the mirror and admit it’s time for bold action. In my view, there are two paths the Steelers could take, and both will require commitment and resolve from the front office.
Choice One: admit this team isn’t close to a Super Bowl and hit the franchise reset button by moving off from some aging veterans. This would be painful. TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cam Heyward; they’d all have to go. The Steelers would have to take their lumps and suffer Tomlin’s first losing season, but the goal would be to lose enough games to draft highly in next year’s quarterback class — a class that could include Arch Manning. If Tomlin still grinds out more wins than expected, hopefully the Steelers got some tradable assets when they moved their vets, or they’ll have to reach into future drafts to facilitate a trade up.
Choice Two: View 2025 as another bridge season, but use this offseason to position themselves for a QB in 2026. I know the 10-win seasons and early playoff exits are driving us fans crazy, but we’ve seen worse rosters around the NFL turn into contenders once the right quarterback is in place — just look at the Commanders. In theory, if the Steelers build a deep roster before landing their quarterback, it would increase that QB’s chance at success and competing for titles.
For my money, I expect the Steelers to go with Choice Two. I think the Steelers are actually in a prime position to have their cake and eat a little too, so let’s use that choice as well to frame our actions in this exercise. That means I’m looking to create future cap space, find a few foundational players in free agency and the draft, and prepare for a run at quarterback in 2026, whether that comes via draft or trade — keep in mind there are no projected big name QBs with their contracts up in 2026.
I’ll be prioritizing in this order:
Reinforcing the trenches at DL and OL
Finish building the secondary
Taking some swings at pass catchers, but admitting this will take some luck this year
RB: That makes sense and aligns pretty closely with my strategy last week. Now for the first moves of your mock offseason: Are there going to be any cap casualties?
RP: I’m going to make many of the same cuts you did last week, but I might be slightly more aggressive.
After cutting Preston Smith — as Read & React predicted — and the NFL once again increasing its cap limit significantly, Spotrac projects the Steelers roughly $59.7 million in cap space to work with.
In addition to Smith, I’m cutting:
Isaac Seumalo, saving $7,875,000
Larry Ogunjobi, saving $7,000,000
Cole Holcomb, saving $6,000,000
Cordarrelle Patterson, saving $2,800,000
Dean Lowry, saving $2,500,000
Cameron Johnston, saving $1,541,666
Seumalo is the most aggressive cut of the bunch, but having watched the tape of the offensive line this past season, I think the Steelers could find comparable play or better from another player. Seumalo’s contract expires after the season, and he’ll be 33 in 2026. I’d rather cut bait now and invest in developing the line that will still be around for the Steelers’ future QB.
By making these cuts, Spotrac puts the Steelers at roughly $85.9 million in cap space.
RB: With all that cap space, who’s getting re-signed and extended? Who will not be brought back? Any trades?
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
RP: I’ll start with how I’m handling housekeeping with the current roster:
I’m giving restricted free agent Jaylen Warren a second-round tender. That should be enough to prevent other teams from poaching him. If another team does offer him a contract, no worries, the Steelers can easily turn that second-round pick into one of the draft's top running back prospects.
I’m letting Russell Wilson walk and bringing back Justin Fields. The Steelers shouldn’t overcommit to him, but using the Sam Darnold contract with Minnesota last year as a guide and tweaking it for inflation, I’m offering Fields a deal that pays anywhere from $15-18 million annually for one or two years. The length won’t really change our math, but a potential bidding war could drive this price up into the low $20 millions with several teams needing a quarterback.
Beyond that, I’m bringing back Elandon Roberts, Ryan McCollum and Ben Skowronek on minimum deals. Everyone else with an expired contract — including Najee Harris and Donte Jackson — I’m letting walk.
I’m also making the difficult decision to ship George Pickens out of town. I found a trade partner in Houston, getting a second-round pick this year in return. The Steelers have shown no problem jettisoning receivers who have become malcontents or distractions. Houston is a team with a need behind Nico Collins, considering Stefon Diggs is a free agent and Tank Dell suffered another devastating injury late last season.
With that phase done, it’s time to move on to extensions — and we’re not done creating cap space. Like Ryland, I’m extending Watt, but I’m taking a slightly different approach. I’ll also be extending safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
I’m signing Watt to a five-year, $150 million extension
I’m signing Fitzpatrick to a three-year, $65 million extension
The Watt deal might give you some sticker shock at first, but allow me to explain.
In 2022, the Bills gave a 32-year-old Von Miller a six-year, $120 million dollar deal. Watt’s agents are likely to point to that, and Watt won’t turn 31 until October. They’ll likely look at other recent deals — Nick Bosa’s five-year, $170 million deal for one — and argue that a $30 million annual average is a bargain for a player that finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting despite having a down season by his standards. There should be some urgency from Pittsburgh as upcoming coming deals for Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons could reset the market even higher.
If the price tag still has you fretting, consider that contract totals announced in the news are never as straightforward as they appear. Players rarely reach the maximum potential of their deal. And if you’re worried Watt will crash out before the end of the contract — he’d be 36 when my proposed extension ends — consider the Steelers are aware of that too and can structure the deal with an out before the full five years are up and make any future cap hits more manageable. The move would create cap space now, while also setting up an all-time great to retire as a Steeler. I see this as an absolute win.
RB: First off, let’s talk about the George Pickens trade. What’s your reasoning for letting him go with the Steelers’ ongoing wide receiver problems? And how did you decide on the trade value?
RP: On the one hand, I wanted to address it since you didn’t make that move in yours. We’ve heard enough chatter about it that I wanted to see what that outcome could look like. But more than that, my spidey senses are tingling and I think Pickens has been too unreliable for the Steelers to feel comfortable giving him a big contract, even if th. The talent is obvious, but the consistency and professionalism have not been. Pickens was not a first round pick, so that means 2025 is the fourth and final year on his rookie deal. If the Steelers don’t have him in their long-term plans, then they might as well get something for him.
I also think gaining an additional second-round pick lines up well with the board to acquire some new offensive talent. As for the compensation, it might be wishful thinking, but if the Steelers got a second-round pick for Chase Claypool, I’m optimistic they can get that for Pickens, a more talented player.
RB: Looks like you’re bringing back Justin Fields. What’s your reasoning for him being QB1 in 2025? And how did you land on that contract number?
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
RP: We’ve argued a lot about quarterbacks over the last year, but to me, it’s a simple use of game theory. There just aren’t many great options this offseason and Fields has enough positives to make him the choice given the alternatives. Fields is younger, more athletic, and cheaper than most of the other names you see being thrown about. He’s improved each year of his pro career, whereas some of the more veteran options have started to decline.
The deal I proposed above lets the Steelers maintain some upside at the position while also positioning them to move on quickly should a Franchise Guy™ become attainable. If Fields surprises us and ends up taking a leap? Gravy. If he’s as bad as some people proclaim, then Steelers’ chances of being in position to pick a QB next year increases.
That said, there has been plenty of smoke from the Combine that Fields is also drawing outside interest from the New York teams and possibly others. If a bidding war happens, don’t be surprised to see Fields’ salary need to increase dramatically in order to retain him. Baker Mayfield makes $33 million a year, Derek Carr makes $37.5 million, and the only starter getting paid anywhere in the $20 million range is Geno Smith, who is due for a contract himself. I wouldn’t be shocked if Fields gets a one or two year deal that pays over $20 million a year. The key for the Steelers will be keeping it a short contract they can get out of as painlessly as possible, while also offering Fields enough money to make a short contract with Pittsburgh more appealing than offers from other teams. Steelers have enough cap space to handle that in my plan.
I also think there's a non-zero chance the New York teams' interest in Fields means he gets somewhere in the $20Ms in APY
Reports are Fields camp wants to at least test the market before a decision. Think PIT fans I've heard hoping to get Fields for $10M may be in for a shock https://t.co/pMwni2hRDx
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) March 3, 2025
RB: Spot-on take on Fields, but let’s talk about one more move: Minkah Fitzpatrick isn’t a free agent until 2027 and the Steelers don’t have a pressing need to free up cap space. What’s your reasoning for extending him?
RP: I’m extending Minkah Fitzpatrick, for similar reasons as Watt. This is a year earlier than Pittsburgh usually negotiates, but I’m taking advantage of the huge cap space available now and giving Fitzpatrick a sizable portion of his new deal up front, making it easier to bail in a couple years if the Steelers need to move on. Fitzpatrick also had a quiet season with a lack of turnover production. Turnovers are a stat that have a history of fluctuating year-to-year, even among the elite defenders. The Steelers will likely still try to leverage his low turnover total to get the number down on Fitzpatrick’s deal.
I’m hoping to keep Fitzpatrick as the safety with the third-highest total value contract, and I’m of the belief that it’s always better to pay your stars sooner rather than later. By doing so, a team can get ahead as opposed to waiting a couple years while the salary cap — and thus salaries — continue to balloon. Look at the Cowboys. They've put off deals with their stars and have still eneded up giving Dak Prescott and Ceedee Lamb top of the market deals. The longer a team waits, the higher that number goes.
Fitzpatrick would be 33 by the end of my proposed extension, which is in line with when we tend to see the top safeties begin to fall off athletically. If the deal is frontloaded, Fitzpatrick is happy because he’ll be getting a lot of money over the next two seasons and the Steelers will be happy to keep him around while giving themselves an out if his play declines towards the end of the deal.
RB: You’re letting a few more upcoming free agents walk than I did in my blueprint. Any names you’d think about adding later on for depth/if the price is right?
RP: I wouldn’t rule out reunions with Mike Williams, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Tyler Matakevich or James Pierre at the right price for depth, but I’m letting them walk for a reason.
RB: Now for the fun stuff. Who are your big ticket free agent signings?
RP: Let’s take a quick stock of the cap space. With the releases, extensions and Pickens trade, I have the Steelers sitting with roughly $110.3 million in cap space heading into Free Agency. That’s an absurd amount and should let the Steelers be competitive bidders in the market. The Steelers have always been conservative spenders, and while I don’t expect them to throw money around recklessly, they’ve trended in recent years towards spending more than we’re accustomed to historically. Patrick Queen is a perfect example of that from just last year. And while the math can be difficult, they are compelled by NFL rules to spend an average of 89% of their cap over a four-year period, so there’s an incentive to spend. We’ll be making some splashy moves, but still have a lot to roll over into 2026.
Here are the moves in the first wave of Free Agency:
RB: The big name signing in your first draft of this article was Chiefs guard Trey Smith — until Kansas City pulled the rug from under that idea with the always-annoying franchise tag last Thursday. Instead, you went with Mekhi Becton. Can you walk us through your pivot?
RP: That did throw a wrench in my plans. It’s worth mentioning the Chiefs gave Smith the non-exclusive tag, meaning he’s free to negotiate with other teams. The Chiefs did the same thing last offseason with L’Jarius Sneed before trading him. Getting Smith is still a possibility, but now it would require a lot of money and sending the Chiefs two first-round draft picks. That’s significantly less appealing. If anything, Smith getting tagged has encouraged my instinct to draft an interior lineman in the draft later on.
While Smith was the belle of the ball, there are still a few more intriguing guards available on the market. I ultimately settled on signing Mekhi Becton but also considered:
Jordan Meredith (Had my favorite tape but is an Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
Will Fries
Teven Jenkins
Dillon Radunz
Becton is an absolutely massive human. Listed at 6’7 and 363 pounds, Becton was the 11th overall selection in the 2020 Draft by the Jets. Becton played four years with New York, switching between both tackle spots as he battled injury and struggled to find sustained success with the Jets — something I’ll point out is not unique when it comes to the Jets organization. New York declined his fifth-year-option and Becton became a free agent ahead of last season with the “bust” label hovering over him.
The Eagles took a chance on him because their esteemed offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, thought he could revitalize Becton’s career. Stoutland wanted Becton to switch to guard, a change that instantly made Becton the largest individual to play guard in NFL history. Becton grew more comfortable at his new position as the season wore on, playing a key part in the Eagles rushing for 3,048 yards while only losing three games on their way to the franchise’s second Super Bowl victory.
The fit with Pittsburgh makes a ton of sense. Pittsburgh wants to be the bully on offense, but has yet to cement that identity against the NFL’s upper tier. Becton gives the offense line an element of power that they’ve been desperately lacking, while possessing a surprising nimbleness for his size.
He also provides positional versatility, which is something the Steelers covet, even if the organizational execution of this concept has had varied results. Philosophically, I see having a player that can play multiple spots as an obvious positive. With the Steelers still having question marks about Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu, having a player on the roster that many teams still consider a starting-caliber tackle certainly couldn’t hurt.
RB: With Smith back on the Chiefs, the headlining free agent is now Byron Murphy. I’m a fan of both that signing as well as the Adebo addition. How much of an upgrade are they from Cam Sutton and Donte Jackson last season?
RP: Neither Murphy nor Adebo have the same top-end speed as Jackson, but they both are better system fits and clear upgrades in every other regard. Something that impressed me about both players is their obvious passion for the game. As I went through Murphy’s tape, I came away impressed with how he always seemed to be around the ball, even if the ball ends up on the opposite side of the field from where he started. Murphy is always looking to make a tackle.
In coverage, Murphy is at his best in the nickel role, but he’s more than capable of lining up outside and playing man coverage. One of my favorite reps on Murphy’s tape came from his time in Arizona where he spent a day in 2022 harassing DK Metcalf at the line of scrimmage. Murphy would get the better of Metcalf on several occasions despite the size difference.
Murphy is also an opportunistic ball hawk. A wide receiver in high school, Murphy attacks the ball and is a natural hands-catcher, which should help him fit in nicely with the Steelers' emphasis on creating turnovers. He had six interceptions in 2024 and 14 for his career.
I’ll admit the tea leaves seem to be pointing more towards Ryland’s preferred nickel, Nate Hobbs, but I prefer Murphy. Murphy is a year older and a couple inches shorter than Hobbs, but he’s seemingly gotten better each season. Hobbs, I’d argue, had his best season as a rookie in 2021. But both would be clear upgrades at nickel for Pittsburgh.
As for the new outside corner, Adebo was on his way towards having a career year in 2024, registering three interceptions through seven games. Adebo is a feisty press man corner who also has a penchant for interceptions, with at least three interceptions in three out of his four seasons in the league. He excels at disrupting receivers’ routes at the line and has displayed impressive recovery speed to get back into the play if a receiver does manage to get behind him.
Assuming he clears his medical, Paulson Adebo has Steeler written all over him
Press man corner ✅
Ballhawk ✅
Tackling: Has that in him
Lunch pail guy pic.twitter.com/6vyVWhzAKN
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) March 3, 2025
But what Steelers fans will love the most about Adebo is his willingness as a tackler. He appears to enjoy that part of his game, which isn’t always a given with cornerbacks.
A secondary core of Joey Porter Jr. and Adebo outside, Murphy in the nickel, with Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott roaming as safeties is an immediate upgrade that could level up the Steelers defense significantly when paired with the Steelers’ pass rush.
Adebo will need to pass some medical tests after he broke his femur in a game last October. He’s recently posted a video of himself running 21 miles-per-hour on the treadmill, so I’m optimistic he’ll be ready by this summer.
RB: Agreed. Josh Palmer is a solid addition but he underperformed a bit in 2024 — where does he fit in the Steelers’ new wide receiver hierarchy?
RP: Before addressing Palmer, I’ll admit, wide receiver is one area I think my plan will still leave plenty of room for improvement. In my defense, when I looked at the wide receivers available on the market, I didn’t see anyone that I felt was worth a large financial investment.
Tee Higgins was never making it to market. I like Darius Slayton as a player, but he’s a 28-year-old who has never eclipsed 1,000 yards. That’s not exactly who I want to sink a lot of time or money into.
When it comes to my team building philosophy, I’m either trying to buy ascending players or Band Aids. I don’t want to overcommit to aging players, but I’m open to making shrewd, short-term deals with older veterans where it makes sense. Unfortunately, I don’t think this free agent class provides much of that at receiver. I’m also looking for outside threats for Pittsburgh more than the slot, which doesn’t mesh well with a lot of the more recognizable names available being slot players.
Chris Godwin and Christian Kirk would both be upgrades in the slot, but both are coming off injury and will hit the dreaded 30-year-old mark by 2026. Godwin seems likely to return to the Tampa anyway. Kirk could draw interest from the Steelers after they nearly dealt for him before he broke his collarbone.
Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen al have name value, but each of those men are over 31 next year and not players I’d be looking to invest in long-term. Same goes for Cooper Kupp, who turns 32 in June.
So that brings me to Palmer.
Palmer isn’t a number one, but he is capable of playing all of the wide receiver positions. If you’ve been reading our columns, you know I like players who can fill multiple roles. By bringing in Palmer, I’m getting a player who is talented enough to contribute on Sundays and can be moved around to fit the Steelers' needs depending on who they draft or trade for midseason. I’m not signing him to a big deal, so he won’t block the Steelers financially from making other investments down the line.
.@ErikJTurner loves watching receivers like Josh Palmer. He uses route running deception to uncover at the top of routes. Makes routes look the same, & adds some sauce at the top to separate. He can get into his route vs Press or vs Off. Watch the different ways he runs In/Outs. pic.twitter.com/RyJp55PPLF
— The Film Room (@Cover1FilmRoom) February 21, 2025
RB: With the first wave of free agency over, it’s time for the draft. What’s the Steelers 2025 rookie class?
RP: Let’s talk process. I used PFF’s mock draft simulator to try to get a more accurate read on how the draft might shape out rather than just picking names at random. That means adjusting to players going earlier or later than I expected. For the most part, I tried to avoid players who I felt dropped farther than what I expect to happen in reality. Of course there are always a few surprises, but I’ve followed the draft process closely every year since 2004 and have reasonable confidence in my judgment on those calls.
So here’s how my draft went down. Reminder, I acquired an additional second round pick (no. 58) from Houston in my hypothetical Pickens trade.
I have the Steelers trading back from 1.21 with the Lions. Pittsburgh gets 1.28, 4.132, 2026 3rd and 2026 4th. With the top four receivers off the board and Detroit desperate to get one of the last first-round worthy edge rushers. I used the Jaguars and Vikings trade from last year’s draft as a model for determining trade value.
1.28 TJ Sanders, DL South Carolina
2.53 Donovan Jackson, OG/OT Ohio St
2.58 Jayden Higgins, WR Iowa St
3.85 Jordan Phillips, NT Maryland
4.121 Billy Bowman Jr., S/NCB Oklahoma
4.132 Bhayshul Tuten, RB Virginia Tech
5.162 Kyle McCord, QB Syracuse
7.224 Daniel Jackson, WR Minnesota
7.230 Hollin Pierce, OT Rutgers
RB: You double up on the D-line in the first two days of the draft, and you also brought in Greg Gaines in free agency. What’s the philosophy behind the Steelers’ new-look defensive line? That’s a lot of resources spent on one positional group.
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
RP: One of my goals this offseason was to get Keeanu Benton to kick back out to his more natural fit as a 3-technique. Cutting Ogunjobi paved the way, but the Steelers would also need to bring a nose tackle to facilitate the move. Gaines fits the bill I’m looking for: experienced, affordable, and a plus run defender.
If the Steelers consider moving Benton to 3T, they'd need a guy in the middle. Greg Gaines is a plus run-defender who should be available at a reasonable price.
Here are his 3 run stuffs in this year's Wild Card round pic.twitter.com/hbwjToGErV
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) March 2, 2025
I’m signing him to a short deal, so I’m also drafting Jordan Phillips in the third round to develop behind him. Phillips is a powerful young man who I think would quickly ingratiate himself with Yinzers.
But the prize of my draft is TJ Sanders. In a deep interior defensive line class, he’s been overshadowed a little bit by some other prospects, but he has a quick first step, violent hands, and is a sound two-gap run defender. The shine being given to other prospects plays out in the Steelers' favor as they are able to trade back, acquire more picks, and still come away with Sanders, a player I’ve been touting since early in this draft cycle.
RB: I dig the new D-line. Switching position groups, I take Higgins in the third round in my mock draft (not sure if he’ll be there now following a really impressive NFL Combine); you take him in the second here. What’s your evaluation of Higgins, and why is it slightly higher than mine?
RP: I like Higgins a lot. You did a good job evaluating him in last week’s column, so I encourage readers to go back and read Ryland’s thoughts. For our exercise, I traded away George Pickens, which means we have a size need in our wideout group. Higgins isn’t as elastic with his limbs as Pickens, but there is a lot of similarity in their body types and strengths. I actually think Higgins has a better, more intentional, release package than Pickens and thrives in an X receiver or power slot role. As Ryland noted, Higgins isn’t creating a ton of separation, but neither did Pickens. Pickens ran a 4.47 forty and — would you look at that — so did Higgins. For what it’s worth, Higgins never had any moments on tape where I questioned his effort.
As for why I picked him higher than Bickley, I’ll point out he was the second of my two second-round picks.
Earlier I mentioned how long I’ve been an NFL Draft fan. I bring that up not to say that I have a 100% accuracy predicting it, but rather because I’ve been following prospects since the summer, as I’ve been doing for 21 years now, even before landing this gig. I’m watching shows, reading articles and blogs, listening to podcasts and watching cut-ups of prospects nine months out of the year. My gut, and several mocks I’ve run, have me believing Higgins is solidly a Day 2 prospect. In this mock, the big four — Matthew Golden, Emeka Egbuka, Tetairoa McMillan and Luther Burden — were all off the board, and so was Tre Harris, another favorite of mine. I took Higgins because I saw a tier drop in prospects after him and I didn’t think he’d make it to the third. The fact that he put together a solid combine just confirms to me what I was seeing on tape.
RB: Donovan Jackson is a fun pick. Is he starting Day 1?
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
RP: Potentially, but not necessarily. My emphasis on the trenches should be clear at this point and he’s another guy I’ve been coveting for a while. Jackson is the full package at guard, and Ohio State somehow only got better after he was forced to kick outside to tackle due to an injury to potential first-round pick Josh Simmons. Ohio State went on to win the national title in large part due to Jackson’s ability to hold his own outside. I worried that might drive him into the first round conversation, but that currently doesn’t appear to be the case. When he was still available with my second pick, I couldn’t pass him up.
After signing Becton to play right guard, I wanted to bring in some competition for Mason McCormick, who is more experienced on the left side, but played right guard last year in Pittsburgh. McCormick is a fine prospect and a draft gem from a year ago, but as a team that wants to play bully ball, you shouldn’t ever feel settled up front. Injuries and talent regression happen. Keep feeding the beast and let the best man take his spot. My money would be on Jackson winning out sooner than later, but the Steelers would be afforded a more patient approach with McCormick already in place. And if anything happens with either of the tackles, Jackson provides yet another possible pivot.
RB: Your quarterback flier is Kyle McCord. What do you like about his game, and what’s his ceiling and floor?
RP: I felt it was prudent for the Steelers to take a swing at quarterback at some point in the draft, even if I wouldn’t spend a high pick this year. While I don’t expect a Day 3 quarterback to turn into a franchise guy, we’ve seen crazier things happen in the NFL. Nobody saw Tom Brady coming and Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy is about to get a boatload of money. Sometimes as a GM it’s better to be lucky than good. McCord — and also Ohio State’s Will Howard — fit the mold of quarterbacks who won’t wow you with their athleticism, but seem to have a solid command of the offense and an ability to access each level of the field.
McCord can throw the ball with touch and layer the ball in tight windows. If he can find similar success at the NFL as in college, McCord’s skillset would allow the Steelers to unlock throws to the middle of the field that have been absent in recent seasons. He’s got enough mobility to extend out of the pocket, even though I don’t expect him to be living out there often.
The trait I find most appealing in McCord’s game is that he is a quick decision maker. He doesn’t hold onto the ball too long. That sometimes led to him rushing and speeding up his internal clock on his Ohio State tape, but he appeared to have made strides in that regard this past season.
If you’re looking at a ceiling, you’re probably hoping for production similar to “system quarterbacks” like Kirk Cousins or Purdy. For what it’s worth, McCord finished 10th in Heisman voting this season, leading the nation in passing yards and setting the ACC single-season record in the process. When you’re looking at the floor, just consider that I’m taking him in the fifth round, and your imagination can handle the rest.
RB: What’s your reasoning for taking a running back so late? Do you think Bhayshul Tuten is starting material?
RP: My reasoning for taking a running back “late” is multifaceted. For starters, running back is a position that is highly reliant on the situation around them. We’ve seen plenty of Day 3 and undrafted rookies become important members of championship teams in the past, which pushes it down my priority board. I did consider one of the top backs in the second round, but ultimately felt like Donovan Jackson and Higgins were better long-term investments.
Secondly, this is a very talented running back class. It’s been compared to the 2017 draft class when 30 running backs were selected. Some experts think we could see even more drafted in this class. Because of that, I was able to wait a little longer and still select a back I could get excited about.
Lastly, I know Mike Tomlin has shown a proclivity for having a workhorse running back that dominates touches, but this is MY plan, so I’ll differ from Coach T here. In the modern NFL, I don’t see a lot of teams sticking to the one back approach, and even the Steelers were splitting time when Jaylen Warren was fully healthy.
That brings us to Bhayshul (Bay-shool) Tuten. Bickley can vouch for me that he was my selection BEFORE he dominated the NFL Combine. In Indianapolis, Tuten ran the fastest running back time, with the best 10-yard split, while jumping the highest vertical, and the fourth-best broad jump. To put Tuten’s test results in perspective, Tuten’s marks in those three drills were better than what Jahmyr Gibbs posted during his Combine. The 10-yard split and both jumps are useful in judging running backs’ athleticism because they indicate how explosive and sudden a back can be. Consider that Gibbs has a lighter frame than Tuten, yet Tuten ran quicker and jumped higher and farther and you get the appeal.
Physical comparisons aside, Tuten’s results are an example of a prospect confirming scouting notes with his testing, because Tuten is a bottle rocket on tape.
The #Steelers will have plenty of options at RB in the draft. I like taking one of the top guys in R2 or wait until early Day 3.
One of the guys I liked as a potential pick in R4 was Bhayshul Tuten. We'll see if his combine drives his price up.
JUICE confirmed pic.twitter.com/IuceQ4GzMx
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) March 3, 2025
Tuten weighs 206 pounds, but he’s compact and dense in a 5’9 frame. That allows him to bounce off defenders, which is littered all over his tape, especially in the red zone. In two years at Virginia Tech, Tuten scored 29 total touchdowns. While he was mostly used for screens and checkdowns in the passing game, Tuten has flashed good hands. There’s a good chance we see that part of his game expand in the NFL.
Tuten caught 50 balls for 320 yards and 4 TDs at VT. He was mostly running screens, underneath routes and getting dump offs, but I think he has more to his game that can be unlocked in the NFL pic.twitter.com/fN2PNNbJXq
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) March 3, 2025
Tuten fits a wide zone scheme well. His open field elusiveness isn’t anything to write home about, but he weaves through traffic exceptionally in zone runs. Once he finds an opening, he can accelerate in a blink and it becomes a foot race to the endzone. He might not be a traditional “starter” but he’s got the explosiveness you’d love to get 10-15 times a game and see if you can get any fireworks.
RB: With the draft out of the way, what does your second wave of free agency look like?
RP: With my late stage of free agency, I’m bringing in players that I think can be had cheaply to fill out depth.
Chuma Edoga (OT) — two years, $4.5M
Khalil Herbert (RB) — two years, $4.0M
Jedrick Wills Jr. (OT) — one year, $4.4M
John Johnson III (S) — one year, vet minimum
Amani Oruwariye (CB) — one year, vet minimum
Edoga and Wills can compete for final roster spots on the offensive line. Johnson is a vet who provides a fourth safety should Ryan Watts’ neck injury keep him sidelined. Herbert would fit the wide zone run scheme and Oruwariye is a veteran press man corner that can step in if Trice or Adebo have any continuing injury flare ups.
Final roster:
*New additions bolded
Offense (27)
QB: Justin Fields, Kyle McCord, Skylar Thompson
RB: Jaylen Warren, Bhayshul Tuten, Khalil Herbert
WR: Josh Palmer, Jayden Higgins, Calvin Austin, Roman Wilson, Daniel Jackson, Ben Skowronek
TE: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward
OT: Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, Chuma Edoga, Dylan Cook, Hollin Pierce
OG: Mekhi Becton, Donovan Jackson, Mason McCormick, Jedrick Wills Jr., Spencer Anderson
C: Zach Frazier, Ryan McCollum
Defense (28 )
DE: Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, TJ Sanders, DeMarvin Leal, Logan Lee
NT: Greg Gaines, Jordan Phillips, Montravius Adams
OLB: TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Azeez Ojulari
LB: Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Elandon Roberts, Mark Robinson
CB: Joey Porter Jr., Paulson Adebo, Cory Trice Jr., Amani Oruwariye
NCB: Byron Murphy, Billy Bowman Jr., Beanie Bishop Jr.
S: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Miles Killebrew, John Johnson III, Ryan Watts
Specialists (3)
K: Chris Boswell
P: Corliss Waitman
LS: Christian Kuntz
Total: 58
Remaining Cap Space: $58,281,274
Like Ryland last week, I won’t be putting together a practice squad, which is why I was OK presenting the roster as larger than a final 53. A big part of my offseason philosophy this year was to create competition for some of the depth spots. The Steelers will almost certainly not carry five tackles and five guards, especially with so many of my guards having tackle versatility. Same goes with the safety group and the defensive line. I also expect at least one more tight end to be brought on, though in my blueprint they’d likely be an undrafted free agent or late signing.
RB: Final question: With the roster you’ve put together, describe a hypothetical midseason BTSC comment section if this was indeed the Steelers’ team in 2025. What would they be praising Omar Khan Ryan Parish for? Common complaints?
RP: The praise: “Dang, them boys up front are MEAN AS HELL. And our secondary is NAILS! Here we go STILLERS!”
The complaints: “This moron thought Josh Palmer and a couple of rookie wide receivers would fix the offense?!”
It’s my biggest complaint as well, but I left us enough money for 2026 when there is a more promising receiver free agent class and hopefully a better crop of rookie quarterbacks. Please be kind.
That wraps up R&R’s offseason blueprints! Now it’s time to hear from you, Steelers Nation. We’ve got some questions for you following Ryan’s mock offseason: Give us your answers in the comments below.
What do you think of Ryan’s plan to trade George Pickens?
Any extensions, cuts, or re-signings that you wouldn’t have made?
What was your favorite free agent signing he made? Least favorite? Is there a move he didn’t make that you would?
Grade Parish’s draft. Would you be happy with those selections?
Give us your overall evaluation of Ryan’s GM work. Do you think this makes the Steelers better? About the same?
And now, two bonus questions since both Ryland and Ryan have completed their blueprints:
1.
Poll
Which potential offseason would you prefer in 2025?
2.
