Pittsburgh Review

The Pittsburgh Steelers face an offseason with 25 free agents across three categories: unrestricted, restricted, and exclusive rights. This number is consistent with recent years, as the team had 24 free agents in 2022, 23 in 2023, and 18 in 2024.

Ken Mauldin from Clyde, TX asked if this is the largest group of free agents in Steelers history. The response clarified that the total for the 2025 offseason is typical compared to previous years.

Terry Waibel from Daytona Beach, FL questioned why the Steelers did not adopt a variation of the "tush-push" play. The answer suggested that success with such plays depends more on the offensive line's ability than on who carries the ball. It was noted that the interior of Pittsburgh's offensive line was not as strong as those of Philadelphia or Baltimore.

Ray Grehofsky from Blacksburg, VA highlighted injuries to draft picks Troy Fautanu and Roman Wilson as significant to last year's results. The response emphasized their need for improvement in 2025 due to their draft status and lack of experience gained during their time on injured reserve.

Eric Hansen from Death Valley, CA raised concerns about the team's failure to score an opening drive touchdown throughout the season. The reply pointed out that this issue indicates broader problems within the offense rather than being significant by itself.

Dan McNeel from Manchester, NH criticized past draft decisions regarding Artie Burns over Derrick Henry. The response provided context about team needs at that time and noted Burns' initial performance before declining.

Richard Koval from Bruceton Mills, WV asked about compensatory draft picks for this year. It was explained that based on last year's free agency activity and contracts signed by players like Patrick Queen, compensatory picks are unlikely.

Robert Snyder from Denton, MD wondered if trading George Pickens along with a second-round pick could allow moving up in the draft for a quarterback. The response indicated that such compensation would be insufficient without additional first-round picks involved.