Former NFL offensive lineman and current analyst Ross Tucker is alarmed by the amount of aggressive moves from the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. He thinks it comes off as kind of desperate, and wonders if general manager Omar Khan is on the hot seat.
"My biggest takeaway from this trade is the Steelers are operating like someone's on the hot seat, " Tucker said on his podcast. "I'm not saying anyone is on the hot seat, but the moves they're making, paying Jaylen Ramsey almost $20 million this year, these are the type of moves that a GM makes when he thinks he's on the hot seat. No reporting, this is just my observation."
The Steelers haven't won a playoff game in eight years. It's the longest playoff win drought since pre-1972, so the organization is certainly in uncharted waters.
The roster turnover is truly unprecedented , as Pittsburgh will go into the 2025 season with nine new starters. The Steelers have made it clear this offsesson that they're not happy with how last season ending, losing five straight and getting embarrassed by division rival the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild-Card round game.
Former Steelers free safety Ryan Clark praised Khan for being aggressive. He's glad to see the change in philosophy from the Steelers, who are historically conservative when it comes to offseason moves.
"I'll give Steelers' General Manager Omar Khan this… he is trying to effing win! I respect dude so much. Waited his turn, watched the groceries get made one way for a long time, & came in with new & fresh ideas. That's hard to do! I love the aggression from a New Orleans guy!"
Despite the major turnover, the Steelers are favored in only six of their 17 games in 2025 . The oddsmakers are apparently not too impressed with the additions of Aaron Rodgers , DK Metcalf , Darius Slay , Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith .
The Steelers are listed as favorites in Week 1 at the Jets (-3), Week 2 vs. the Seahawks (-1.5), Week 6 vs. the Browns (-6.5), Week 9 vs. the Colts (-3.5), Week 15 vs. the Dolphins (-2.5), and Week 17 at the Browns (-2.5).
The over/under for the Steelers' total wins in the 2025 is still set at 8.5 wins.
The Steelers' Super Bowl odds at FanDuel sportsbook increased after landing Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith, but it was nothing drastic. The Steelers' odds to win the Super Bowl before the trade were at +4700. They are now at +4400, which was tied with the Chicago Bears for 16th-best odds. The Bears have since moved to +4300.
At DraftKings sportsbook, Pittsburgh (+3500) and Miami 's (+8000) Super Bowl odds did not change at all after the Monday's blockbuster trade.
RELATED: Are the Steelers All In after Jalen Ramsey Trade ?
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Former NFL OL Thinks Steelers Are 'Operating Like Someone's on the Hot Seat'
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