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Calvin Austin Calvin Austin Leading candidate for WR2 spot
Thu, Jul 3, 2025, 9:48 AM
Steelers receivers coach Zach Azzani recently said "that [WR2] spot is all [Austin's] right now," Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The Steelers reworked their wideout room over the offseason, jettisoning George Pickens in a trade while also letting Van Jefferson walk in free agency. DK Metcalf was acquired from Seattle, and Pittsburgh also signed 33-year-old Robert Woods. However, it sounds like Austin has a significant lead on Woods and second-year WR Roman Wilson for the starting gig opposite Metcalf. Austin had a breakout 2024 campaign, posting a 36-548-4 receiving line on 58 targets while playing in all 17 regular-season games, averaging a robust 15.2 yards per catch. Following the Steelers' acquisition of Jonnu Smith, this looks like an offense that is going to feature two tight ends in Smith and Pat Freiermuth, as opposed to three wide receivers, so the winner of the WR2 job stands to see far more playing time than the Steelers' third and fourth receivers. |
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Pat Freiermuth Pat Freiermuth Joined by Jonnu Smith
Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 12:53 PM
Freiermuth will play alongside fellow tight end Jonnu Smith after the Steelers traded for Smith on Monday, Steelers Now reports.
Analysis: Coming off an 88-catch breakout campaign while playing in all 17 regular-season games, Smith represents a threat to Freiermuth's playing time in 11 personnel even if they can work together symbiotically in multi-TE formations. Freiermuth is entering the first season of a four-year, $48.4 million contract extension, while Smith just signed a one-year, $12 million extension through 2026. Both tight ends will find it difficult to approach their 2024 volume, competing against each other (and WR DK Metcalf) for targets from a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers in Arthur Smith's run-first offense. |
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Jonnu Smith Jonnu Smith Traded to Pittsburgh
Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 10:12 AM
The Dolphins are trading Smith, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Steelers in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Smith was said to be unhappy with his contract in Miami following last year's career highs for catches, yards and touchdowns. A move to Pittsburgh reunites him with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who was the head coach in Atlanta when Jonnu Smith played there. It isn't an especially promising move for Smith's fantasy value, as the Steelers likely will run the ball a lot and already have Pat Freiermuth at tight end. |
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Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Anticipates retiring after 2025
Tue, Jun 24, 2025, 11:54 AM
Rodgers said Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show he's "pretty sure" the 2025 season will be his last in the NFL, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: "I'm pretty sure this is my last season and that's why we did the one-year deal," Rodgers said, referring to the one-year, $13.65 million contract he inked early June. The relatively team-friendly deal for Pittsburgh includes $10 million in guaranteed money and carries a maximum value of $19.5 million, with no cap hit lingering beyond the 2025 campaign. Rodgers, who turns 42 in December, said there's "no better way" to finish his career than with the Steelers, a team that earned a 10-7 record and playoff berth with a combination of Justin Fields and Russell Wilson under center in 2024, before being eliminated in the Wild Card round by Baltimore. With the hope of improved quarterback play from Rodgers, who Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports already began establishing a rapport with new top wideout DK Metcalf at mandatory minicamp, Pittsburgh indeed appears well-positioned to make some noise in the AFC in what is shaping up to be the veteran signal-caller's swan song. |
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DK Metcalf DK Metcalf Building chemistry with Rodgers
Fri, Jun 13, 2025, 1:20 PM
Metcalf said at mandatory minicamp that while establishing a rapport with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the veteran signal-caller's "playmaking ability after a play breaks down" and "how quickly he releases the ball" have both stood out, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Since being dealt to Pittsburgh and signing a five-year, $150 million deal with his new team, Metcalf's outlook has improved significantly. The Steelers' signing of Rodgers to a one-year deal provides Metcalf with short-term stability at quarterback plus a signal-caller with the necessary timing to complement the strengths of his route tree. Moreover, the decision to trade George Pickens to Dallas leaves Metcalf entrenched as the unquestioned top target in the Steelers' passing game, with all of Robert Woods, Calvin Austin, Roman Wilson and TE Pat Freiermuth as ancillary options. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith also indicated that his usual run-heavy tendencies could shift in 2025, saying "we didn't bring [Rodgers] in here and sign [Metcalf] for all that money to go run the wishbone," and that "you try to play to the strengths of your team." |
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Will Howard Will Howard Set to learn from Rodgers as rookie
Wed, Jun 11, 2025, 10:50 AM
Howard is slated to begin the 2025 season as the Steelers' No. 3 quarterback after the team signed Aaron Rodgers on Saturday, Jacob Punturi of SI.com reports.
Analysis: After winning the national championship during his lone season at Ohio State in 2024, Howard was selected by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Rodgers and the Steelers had been continually linked in rumors during the offseason, but if a deal between the two sides hadn't materialized, Howard could have had an opportunity to compete with Mason Rudolph for a starting role. Instead, Howard will turn his focus toward a developmental role in 2025, but Rodgers said Tuesday that he plans to help the rookie as much as possible this season. |
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Mason Rudolph Mason Rudolph Set to operate as backup in 2025
Wed, Jun 11, 2025, 10:41 AM
Rudolph is set to open the 2025 season in a backup capacity for the Steelers after the team signed Aaron Rodgers on Saturday, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Rudolph opened OTAs as the Steelers' No. 1 option at quarterback, but Rodgers had been continually linked to the team during the offseason. A one-year deal between Rodgers and Pittsburgh finally materialized Saturday, meaning that Rudolph will be left to compete with Will Howard for the team's No. 2 quarterback job ahead of the 2025 campaign. Rudolph will likely continue to handle a slightly elevated role for the remainder of OTAs while Rodgers acclimates to the team. However, Rudolph expressed openness to the impending move to a backup role, especially once training camp begins next month. |
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Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Getting $13.65 million
Sat, Jun 7, 2025, 1:13 PM
Rodgers signed his one-year, $13.65 million contract with the Steelers on Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: The deal between Pittsburgh and the veteran quarterback came together late in the week and is now official. Per Schefter, Rodgers' contract includes $10 million in guaranteed money and has a maximum value of $19.5 million. It's a significant step down from what he could have made with the Jets, as Rodgers was slated to earn $37.5 million had he remained in New York. |
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Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Deal made official
Thu, Jun 5, 2025, 11:07 PM
Rodgers signed a one-year deal with the Steelers on Thursday.
Analysis: News broke earlier in the day that Rodgers had informed the Steelers of his intention to sign with the team and report for mandatory minicamp next week. However, the deal is now official, and he'll ascend to the top of a previously uninspiring quarterback depth chart in Pittsburgh. Though Rodgers is well past his prime both in on-field and fantasy contributions, his arrival should be good news for the likes of DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth. |
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Donald Parham Donald Parham Moves to reserve/injured list
Thu, Jun 5, 2025, 6:34 PM
Parham (Achilles) was placed on the reserve/injured list by the Steelers on Thursday, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: The tight end tore his Achilles during OTAs on Tuesday, but this move confirms that he's out for the season. Parham signed with the Steelers in February, spent most of 2024 on Denver's practice squad and last caught an NFL pass in 2023 with the Chargers. That was also his best season, when he grabbed 27 passes for 285 yards and four scores. |
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Donald Parham Donald Parham Suffers torn Achilles in OTAs
Tue, Jun 3, 2025, 7:02 PM
Parham tore his Achilles during OTAs on Tuesday and will likely miss the 2025 season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Parham signed with the Steelers in late February after spending most of last season on Denver's practice squad. The veteran tight end logged a career-high 27 catches for 285 yards and four touchdowns over 14 regular-season games with the Chargers in 2023 but hasn't appeared in an NFL contest since. He was slated to compete for a depth role with the Steelers behind starting TE Pat Friermuth, but Parham now isn't likely to take the field again until 2026. |
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Mason Rudolph Mason Rudolph Opens OTAs as No. 1 QB
Wed, May 28, 2025, 9:58 AM
Rudolph operated as Pittsburgh's top quarterback during Tuesday's opening OTAs practice, Brooke Pryor of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Rudolph spent the 2024 campaign in Tennessee before reuniting with the Steelers on a two-year, $7.5 million contract early in free agency, and he currently appears comfortable as the leader of a quarterback room that also houses rookie sixth-rounder Will Howard and former Dolphins third-stringer Skylar Thompson. While Rudolph boasts familiarity with coach Mike Tomlin and has played at a capable level with Pittsburgh in the past, he faces the challenge of adapting to a new scheme under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, as well as building chemistry with new top wideout DK Metcalf, who was absent from Tuesday's practice. The Steelers remain linked to free agent Aaron Rodgers through rumor and speculation, but nothing official has yet materialized beyond the veteran having visited with the team in March. |
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Trey Sermon Trey Sermon Set to join Pittsburgh
Sun, May 11, 2025, 11:45 AM
The Steelers are signing Sermon to a one-year contract, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
Analysis: Sermon was a third-round draft pick by the 49ers in 2021, but he's yet to make a major impact at the NFL level. The 26-year-old spent the past two seasons with Indianapolis, and he logged a career-high 236 offensive snaps over 17 regular-season games last year, though he averaged just 2.8 yards on 56 carries while scoring a career-high two rushing touchdowns. Sermon also logged 99 yards on 16 catches and contributed on special teams late in the campaign. With Najee Harris now with the Chargers, Pittsburgh has rebuilt its running back room behind returning starter Jaylen Warren, adding both Sermon and Kenneth Gainwell in free agency along with third-round draft choice Kaleb Johnson. |
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Roman Wilson Roman Wilson Outlook improves with Pickens trade
Wed, May 7, 2025, 10:14 AM
Wilson may compete for a starting job after the Steelers traded WR George Pickens to Dallas, Chris Adamski of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: Drafted 84th overall last spring, Wilson played just one game as a rookie, missing Week 1 with an ankle injury and Weeks 7-18 with a hamstring injury. In between, he was a healthy scratch four times and played just five snaps in his lone appearance, never truly getting a foot in the door. Steelers GM Omar Khan said in February that Wilson might have contributed in the playoffs had the team advanced beyond the first round, and it now seems he has a shot at the No. 2 WR role for his second pro season. With 4.39 speed at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Wilson profiles as a perimeter receiver who runs a lot of downfield routes, which would make it difficult to get a lot of targets in an offense with DK Metcalf at wide receiver and run-first coordinator Arthur Smith calling plays. |
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Robert Woods Robert Woods May end up starting
Wed, May 7, 2025, 9:54 AM
Woods has improved odds for a starting job after the Steelers traded WR George Pickens to Dallas on Wednesday, Chris Adamski of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: Even if the 33-year-old ends up starting, it'd likely be in a similar role to what we saw last season from Van Jefferson, who got 40 targets on 721 offensive snaps while starting 12 of 17 regular-season games. While he had some prolific seasons earlier in his career, Woods mostly is valued for blocking and leadership at this point, having averaged 31 receiving yards per game or less in three straight seasons since leaving the Rams. As things currently stand, his main competition for snaps behind DK Metcalf would be 162-pound slot man Calvin Austin and 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson. |
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Calvin Austin Calvin Austin Moving up depth chart?
Wed, May 7, 2025, 9:48 AM
Austin has improved odds for a starting job after the Steelers traded WR George Pickens to Dallas, Chris Adamski of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: Austin was second among Pittsburgh's wide receivers in targets, catches and yards last season, but he didn't get much playing time in formations with fewer than three wide receivers, and his average of 3.4 targets per game was far below what's needed for fantasy relevance in most leagues. It could be a similar situation this year, only with DK Metcalf replacing Pickens as the clear No. 1 and Robert Woods replacing Van Jefferson as the veteran who is valued for blocking and experience more so than drawing targets. Austin is in a better position than he would've been had the Steelers kept both Metcalf and Pickens, but huge snap counts remain unlikely for one of the NFL's smallest players (Austin is listed at 5-foot-9, 162 pounds). |
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George Pickens George Pickens Deal to Cowboys being finalized
Wed, May 7, 2025, 7:27 AM
The Steelers are finalizing a trade to send Pickens to the Cowboys, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Per Schefter, the deal -- which is expected to be completed Wednesday -- would result in the Cowboys sending a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round choice to the Steelers in exchange for Pickens and a 2026 sixth-round pick. With Dallas, the 24-year-old Pickens, who is coming off a 2024 regular season in which he recorded 59 catches (on 103 targets) for 900 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games, would provide QB Dak Prescott with another quality wideout target to work alongside CeeDee Lamb, who caught 101 passes in 15 contests last season. |
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Robert Woods Robert Woods Signing with Steelers
Mon, Apr 28, 2025, 5:06 PM
The Steelers plan to sign Woods, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Woods is coming off a 2024 regular season in which he recorded 20 catches (on 30 targets) for 203 yards and zero touchdowns in 15 contests for the Texans. With the Steelers, the 33-year-old will add experience and depth to a wideout corps currently led by DK Metcalf and George Pickens, with Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson, among others, also in the mix for targets. |
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Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren Joined by Kaleb Johnson
Mon, Apr 28, 2025, 12:19 PM
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said the dynamic between Warren and third-round pick Kaleb Johnson will be different than that between Warren and former teammate Najee Harris.
Analysis: The 224-pound rookie, drafted 83rd overall, profiles cleanly as a replacement for Harris, but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll be a one-for-one thing with Johnson immediately taking 250-plus carries. Harris topped that number in each of his four seasons in Pittsburgh, despite averaging 4.1 YPC or less every year, in part because he never missed a game and was decent enough at blocking and receiving to stay on the field for some passing downs. Johnson may well prove to be Harris' equal or superior as a runner, but Warren could nonetheless take on a larger role than he had the past few seasons if the Steelers aren't confident in other aspects of Johnson's game. Warren signed a second-round restricted free agent tender a few days before the draft, keeping him under contract for 2025 at $5.35 million -- about the same as what Harris is getting from the Chargers, coincidentally. |
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George Pickens George Pickens Target of trade interest
Wed, Apr 23, 2025, 1:58 PM
The Steelers have received calls inquiring about trading for Pickens leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
Analysis: Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie deal with Pittsburgh, and the team spent a second-round pick to acquire fellow big-play-specialist DK Metcalf earlier this offseason. The Steelers then signed Metcalf to a five-year, $150 million contract, a move that has resulted in questions about Pickens' long-term future with the team. While Pittsburgh reportedly isn't directly shopping the 24-year-old, he figures to have a strong market for teams in need of a No. 1 or talented No. 2 option at wideout, especially if there remains belief around the league that his production upside remains untapped. Quarterback play has doubtless limited Pickens across his first three seasons in the league, and the Steelers' starter under center for 2025 still remains undetermined. |
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