We are roughly one week away from the beginning of training camp. Football fanatics, rejoice! It's been a busy offseason for this Steelers franchise, who will replace their leading passer, receiver, and rusher from the prior year, certainly an oddity in the NFL. They even made a few uncharacteristic blockbuster trades for a few veterans in DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey . After months of waiting, we're finally going to get our first real glimpse of what this newly constructed roster will look like.
As always, I sincerely appreciate all of the submissions. As usual, there were so many good topics across platforms that it was difficult to narrow down which ones to choose. Without further ado, here we go!
Q: Between Justin Simmons and Julian Blackmon , which safety would be a better addition for the Steelers?
A: I lean towards Julian Blackmon for a few reasons. For starters, he's much younger than Justin Simmons (32) and won't turn 27 years old until the end of training camp. Most of his snaps in recent seasons have come in the post as the center fielder because he's an instinctual player with good range and very solid ball skills. Lastly, the Colts played cover-3 at the highest rate in the entire league last year, so there's definitely some schematic overlap between systems, which leads me to believe that it wouldn't take him long to get acclimated here. He's capable of playing in the box, too. He's dealt with some injuries during his time in the pros, so perhaps the medicals are the primary reason he is still without a contract. I would be a fan of allowing him to compete for the starting FS gig, but he's valuable depth for cheap if nothing else.
Q: The game is on the line and you're the offensive coordinator: which Steelers tight end are you drawing up a play for?
A: I'm going to assume that the defense is playing some sort of split-field coverage to take away DK Metcalf . With that in mind, I'm going to try and get to a 3×1 set with the tight end split out closest to the core. From there, it's pretty simple: two-way go for Pat Freiermuth versus the Mike linebacker. The coaching point would be to try and cross the defender's face to create separation over the middle of the field and set up a nice run-after-catch opportunity. If I felt like I was likely to get some sort of all-out blitz look, then I'd want the quarterback to have the freedom to check into some sort of screen for Jonnu Smith at the line of scrimmage. Obviously, if it was a situation where the play call was a run, Darnell Washington is the best option in that scenario. It's nice to have options!
Q: Is there a sneaky position on Pittsburgh 's roster that worries you more than the general perception?
A: The left tackle spot in particular is very worrisome considering the lack of development from Broderick Jones . The switch back to left tackle will hopefully allow him to feel more comfortable, but it's difficult to imagine that magically wiping away all of the technical flaws that exist in his game right now. In order for Aaron Rodgers to play at his best, the pass protection as a whole will need to be very good next season. The most obvious decline in his play from last year was the lack of quick twitch in the pocket, a trait that used to set him apart from the rest of his peers. They need him to feel comfortable so that he's more open to pushing the ball down the field a bit. The Steelers made a significant investment in Jones by trading up for him in the first round, and they need to start seeing some results very soon.
Q: How different will the offense look this season under Arthur Smith now that he has Aaron Rodgers ? How much improvement is needed for him to retain the job in 2026?
A: I suspect that things will look different for sure because there were things that Russell Wilson simply couldn't do last year, particularly as it relates to throwing over the middle of the field. That's not to say that there aren't also limitations with Rodgers, but they are a little easier to work around if the offensive line can keep him upright. There's no doubt that the quarterback will have heavy input on the offense, but all parties involved need to evolve if this thing is going to work. Will Rodgers be accepting of a point guard role at this stage of his career? Will Smith's scheme be enough to elevate the skill position talent currently on the roster? Those are valid questions without even getting into the run game struggles in recent years.
We all expect the Steelers to be aggressive in trading up to acquire a quarterback in next year's NFL Draft. With that in mind, stability is of the utmost importance. Ideally, you want the entire organization in lockstep with 100% certainty that the right head coach and play caller are in place before making that sort of investment. So many quarterback prospects come into the league playing from behind because of the situations that they're immediately inserted into. It's been four seasons since Smith championed a good offense, and while poor quarterback play has factored into those results, I'm not sure there's enough evidence to suggest help develop the next franchise passer.
Q: Which player on the roster could surprise us the most this season?
A: This question is all relative to expectation, but considering how much higher I was on Troy Fautanu versus the consensus coming out, that would be my choice. It seems like he's been out of sight, out of mind for some. With him losing virtually the entirety of his rookie campaign, it was very unfortunate because it took away valuable reps, but I'm not ready to label him as injury-prone because of one fluky injury that happened in practice, even if there were medical concerns that surfaced as he slid on draft day. His movement skills were very rare for the position, with the ability to effortlessly mirror guys in pass protection, and I loved his play speed. Everything he does is fast, especially his hands, which are lightning quick. He's got some power on contact in the run game, too. I think he'll be worth the wait, and fans will see major flashes throughout his second season.
Q: How do you envision the Steelers using Jalen Ramsey? Do you see him taking reps at free safety?
A: I have always envisioned Ramsey as a player that would make a seamless transition to the safety position (ala Charles Woodson ) later in his career. After all, this was a guy that played all over the secondary the second that he stepped foot on campus at Florida State many moons ago. Maybe he takes some snaps there in base defense in order to get Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. both on the field with him at the same time. Last season, the Steelers aligned in base personnel on 25.9% of their snaps, but that number could easily come down if they wanted it to by putting Ramsey in the slot. If it were up to me, he'd play the boundary corner spot opposite Porter in base defense and then kick inside in nickel/dime. His skill set is very unique and should allow them to be more creative on that side of the ball. Time will tell what their vision for him is.
Q: Who is the sleeper quarterback prospect that could rise up draft boards this upcoming fall?
A: There are two names that come to my mind immediately: Michigan State's Aidan Chiles and TCU's Josh Hoover. The former is a soon-to-be 20-year-old junior entering his second season as the Spartans starter. Even though the film was rocky at times last season, there are tools to work with: he possesses NFL-caliber arm strength and is a slippery athlete that can create second-reaction plays on a whim. What I liked most about his tape was just his willingness to play from the pocket with an ability to work Sunday concepts in rhythm. Even through adversity, his confidence never appeared shaken. Evaluating him right now is all about grading to the flashes, but if the decision-making improves, there's a good player in there.
The latter is more experienced with tape that is much steadier with a higher floor, albeit without as much high-end upside. Hoover plays the position with impressive decisiveness, getting the ball out on time and avoiding sacks in the process. When you watch his tape, you'll see him cycle through progressions better than most can at this level, even showing an advanced understanding of how to manipulate zone defenders out of position. It doesn't hurt that he completed over 50% of his deep passing attempts last year either. My biggest holdup is whether he has the RPMs to consistently drive the ball into tighter windows at the professional level. This quarterback class is fairly unproven, but I'm cautiously optimistic about a number of different passers from various programs.
Q: Who is your ideal, but realistic wide receiver addition who could be released during roster cuts?
A: The free agent market is pretty bare and I don't expect that to change as we get closer to the regular season but their best option is probably going to be Gabe Davis . He's got size, can help stretch the field vertically and is also a solid blocker. Ideally the Steelers continue to be active in the trade market instead. Earlier this offseason, I broke down a bunch of intriguing options to varying degrees and now that Jauan Jennings is on the market, he jumps to the top of the list. He's a very good scheme fit for what Pittsburgh wants to be offensively and is young enough to where he can help them in the coming years beyond just 2025. It obviously depends on the price but he's a useful player.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : DB's Steelers Mailbag: Potential Safety Additions, Ramsey's Role & Sleeper QB Prospects
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