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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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Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren Signs RFA tender
Tue, Apr 22, 2025, 3:15 PM
Warren signed his one-year restricted free agent tender with the Steelers on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Warren received a second-round restricted free agent tender from Pittsburgh in March, which carries a $5.35 million salary for the 2025 season. Signing his tender doesn't necessarily preclude a long-term deal materializing for Warren, but any further negotiations could be heavily swayed by the team's actions, or lack thereof, in addressing the running back position during the 2025 NFL Draft. Coach Mike Tomlin expressed confidence Tuesday in Warren's capabilities of handling lead back duties following the departure of Najee Harris, per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com. |
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Ben Skowronek Ben Skowronek Re-signs with Pittsburgh
Thu, Mar 13, 2025, 3:58 PM
The Steelers re-signed Skowronek on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Skowronek secured all five of his targets for 69 yards across 10 regular-season appearances with Pittsburgh in 2024. That marked the least productive season of Skowronek's career, but he dealt with injuries in the preseason and during the Steeler's regular-season finale. He'll work to remain healthy and carve out a greater role for 2025. |
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Scotty Miller Scotty Miller Re-signs with Pittsburgh
Thu, Mar 13, 2025, 11:44 AM
The Steelers are re-signing Miller on a one-year contract Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Miller appeared in 13 regular-season games with Pittsburgh in 2024, securing five of nine targets for 69 yards. He also contributed on special teams and spent time on the practice squad. He'll spend the offseason competing for a similar depth role with the team. |
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Mason Rudolph Mason Rudolph Returning to Pittsburgh
Thu, Mar 13, 2025, 10:24 AM
Rudolph is signing a two-year contract with the Steelers, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: The 2018 third-round pick will return to Pittsburgh after a one-year detour to Tennessee, where he went 1-4 as a starter while completing 64.0 percent of his passes for 6.7 YPA (with nine TDs and nine INTs on 228 pass attempts). Rudolph was better than Will Levis but subpar by pretty much any other standard, likely putting him in a backup role for 2025 unless things go horribly wrong for the Steelers over the next couple months. They're reportedly trying to sign Aaron Rodgers, and if that doesn't happen they may consider re-signing Russell Wilson or trading for Kirk Cousins. The initial report on Rudolph's contract has it at two years and $8 million, with $4.5 million guaranteed, putting him in the middle of the market for backup quarterbacks. |
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Russell Wilson Russell Wilson Visiting Cleveland
Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 3:11 PM
Wilson is expected to visit the Browns this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: The report notes that Wilson is "still in the mix" to re-sign with Pittsburgh, although that likely depends in part on Aaron Rodgers choosing a different team. Justin Fields, meanwhile, is set to sign with the Jets, leaving the Steelers with limited options if they aren't able to work out a deal with Rodgers. As for Wilson, a move to Cleveland would put him in a rough situation in terms of the supporting cast, and there would also be risk of the team then drafting a rookie quarterback. Deshaun Watson may also be a factor at some point, but he won't be available at the beginning of the season, having undergone surgery in January after rupturing his Achilles tendon for a second time in less than three months. |
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Kenneth Gainwell Kenneth Gainwell Stays in Pennsylvania with PIT
Tue, Mar 11, 2025, 8:11 PM
The Steelers agreed to terms with Gainwell on a one-year contract Tuesday, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
Analysis: Gainwell won't have to move far, as he's staying in the state of Pennsylvania. With the Steelers, Gainwell slides into a backfield depth chart that is currently led by Jaylen Warren after Najee Harris left to join the Chargers on Monday. In four seasons with the Eagles, Gainwell rushed 280 times for 1,185 yards and 12 touchdowns, while adding 102 catches for 721 yards and an additional score in the passing game. He's a quality change-of-pace back, though his skill set feels a bit redundant to Warren. Gainwell is unlikely to have much fantasy relevance in 2025 barring injuries ahead of him, as the Steelers are probably not done adding at the position. |
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Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren Receives second-round RFA tender
Mon, Mar 10, 2025, 9:46 AM
The Steelers placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Warren on Monday, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.
Analysis: The Steelers make Warren's second-round RFA tender official, a move that GM Omar Khan foreshadowed in late February. Pittsburgh had the option to place an original-round tender on Warren, which would have given him a $3.19 million salary for 2025 but made it more feasible for teams to offer him a competitive contract. By issuing Warren a second-round tender, the Steelers effectively guarantee he'll remain with the team this season at the cost of a $5.2 million salary, as any team he signed with would have to surrender second-round draft compensation. Najee Harris is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and his departure would thrust Warren into the No. 1 backfield spot for at least the time being. |
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Justin Fields Justin Fields Draws interest from Jets, Steelers
Mon, Mar 10, 2025, 9:01 AM
The Steelers and Jets have shown interest in signing Fields, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
Analysis: The Steelers reportedly also have interest in re-signing Russell Wilson or signing Aaron Rodgers, so it may come down to contract numbers rather than being a straightforward matter of the team's on-field preference. While the Steelers and Giants are shaping up as favorites to sign Rodgers, it sounds like Fields could land with the Jets as the 41-year-old's replacement. The Pittsburgh job became more attractive this weekend when the team sent a second-round pick to Seattle for WR DK Metcalf. |
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DK Metcalf DK Metcalf Dealt to Pittsburgh
Sun, Mar 9, 2025, 6:55 PM
Metcalf was traded to the Steelers in exchange for a second round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, before signing five-year, $150 million contract Sunday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Metcalf will officially have his trade request granted, heading to Pittsburgh after six seasons with the Seahawks. The wide receiver is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he caught 66 of 108 targets for 992 yards and five touchdowns over 15 regular-season contests with Seattle. The 27-year-old will now be under contract through the 2030 season, earning the largest contract for a non-quarterback in Pittsburgh's franchise history. As it sits right now, the Steelers do not have any quarterbacks under contract for the 2025 season, but it's possible that Metcalf reunites with his former teammate Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh. |
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Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren Will receive RFA tender
Tue, Feb 25, 2025, 11:53 AM
Steelers GM Omar Khan said Tuesday that Warren will receive a restricted free agent tender and likely stay with the team in 2025, Dale Lolley of the Steelers' official site reports.
Analysis: The real question is whether Warren gets a second-round tender ($5.2 million) or an original-round tag ($3.19 million). He went undrafted back in 2022, which means the latter wouldn't involve any draft compensation if he signed with another team and the Steelers declined to match the contract offer. A second-round tender, on the other hand, would ensure that Warren stays in Pittsburgh unless he's traded, as no team is going to give up a top-64 pick for the right to hand him a large contract. There's less clarity regarding the future of Najee Harris, who is scheduled for unrestricted free agency after starting his career with four straight seasons of more than 1,000 rushing yards but less than 4.2 yards per carry. |
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Roman Wilson Roman Wilson Has GM's confidence
Tue, Feb 25, 2025, 10:50 AM
Steelers general manager Omar Khan said Tuesday at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine that he has "a lot of confidence" in Wilson (hamstring), and that the wideout was on pace to contribute during the postseason had Pittsburgh advanced beyond the wild-card round, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Wilson, a 2024 third-round pick, was limited to a single regular-season appearance in his rookie campaign, but he at least now appears fully recovered from the hamstring issue that caused him to end the year on IR. He also missed time early in the season with an ankle injury sustained in training camp. If he can put together a strong offseason and remain at full health to enter the 2025 campaign, he could have a big role in Year 2. Wideouts Van Jefferson, Mike Williams and Ben Skowronek are all pending free agents for Pittsburgh. |
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