Is the anger towards the Steelers front office justified?

The 2025 NFL offseason has been a roller coaster of emotions for the Pittsburgh Steelers fan base, especially coming off yet another all-too-familiar postseason exit. With much of the narrative surrounding the team trending negative since the opening of the legal tampering period, it’s worth taking a step back to ask: Is this really the sentiment that should be following this front office?

So far during the team building process the Steelers have brought in/back:

DK Metcalf
Darius Slay
Kenneth Gainwell
Malik Harrison
Brandin Echols
Mason Rudolph
Juan Thronhill
Daniel Ekuale

Jaylen Warren
Ben Skowronek
Isaiahh Loudermilk
Scotty Miller
Ryan McCollum

Outside of DK Metcalf, Darius Slay, and Jaylen Warren, none of the names the Steelers have brought in really jump off the page. Missing out on Justin Fields and still waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make his decision has only fueled a snowball effect of negativity toward Omar Khan, Mike Tomlin, and the rest of the front office—especially considering they had over $60 million in cap space at their disposal.

If we take a closer look at the Steelers’ haul of players so far, it’s fair to say they’ve made some very smart moves with the resources available this offseason. And when I say resources, I’m not just referring to cap space, but also the overall quality of players that were actually on the market. You could argue that the Steelers made the biggest splash of the offseason by trading a second-round pick for DK Metcalf and immediately locking him up with a $150 million extension. On top of that, they brought in Darius Slay, who arguably played some of the best football of any free agent corner last year. By landing both Metcalf and Slay, they addressed two positions that fans had circled as top priorities—and they did it by bringing in some of the highest-value talent available.

The biggest swings and misses for the Steelers in free agency so far have come at quarterback and along the defensive line. All reports seemed to point toward them bringing in Justin Fields, and the release of Larry Ogunjobi created another hole up front that still needs to be filled. But here’s my take on the Fields situation: whether it’s Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields, or Russell Wilson, none of them really stand out above the others as a clear, better option for 2025. It comes down to personal preference, because at this point, they’re all low-end starters.

As for the defensive line, sure, it would’ve been nice to land someone like Milton Williams. But at $26 million per year, you had to pay solid players like they’re elite ones. Meanwhile, the 2025 NFL Draft class is loaded with defensive line talent. To me, it’s a no-brainer to pass on this free-agent market rather than lock up decent players to massive contracts—especially when you’re trying to build a roster that is quarterback proof.

The Steelers have also addressed key depth needs by bringing in solid players like Kenneth Gainwell, Mason Rudolph, and Brandon Echols—guys who could be reliable contributors on value contracts for the 2025 season.

All in all, I understand the frustration Steelers fans are feeling right now. But in my view, this free agent market was too risky to invest heavily in. The big moves they have made so far allow you to argue that—regardless of who the quarterback is—the Steelers are likely to have an improved roster heading into the 2025 season, especially with the draft still to come.

How do you guys feel about the offseason so far? Do you feel the roster has the foundations to be improved from 2024?