Which free agents must the Steelers re-sign this offseason?

It’s getting to be that time of the year, as the Steelers and the rest of the league contemplate their own pending free agents. While they have a long list this year, as is often the case, it’s not full of heavy hitters. From last year’s wave, they managed to net a substantial compensatory pick haul. I’m not sure they’ll even be in the compensatory green from this round.

Now, the Steelers do have some free agents that are obvious, though the necessity of re-signing them is not. QB Aaron Rodgers is the shining example of that. He may or may not be their best option for the 2026 season, but what about beyond that?

The other “big” name among the Steelers’ free agents is Kenneth Gainwell. To me, however, that says more about the size of the list’s import than it does about the player. He is a player they should re-sign, however, and they should manage it relatively simply—if they want to.

There is a pair of free agents, of which the Steelers, I feel, must re-sign at least one. James Pierre and Asante Samuel Jr. both started games at cornerback last season. Unless they do something drastic this offseason or move Jalen Ramsey back to cornerback, they need one of them. Really, they should re-sign both, and at least retaining Pierre shouldn’t be a problem.

Special teams matters, and the Steelers have some notable free agents there. Miles Killebrew is their special teams captain, but he is coming off a major injury. If they don’t retain him, Connor Heyward would probably be their captain. Then there is WR Calvin Austin III, who is their punt returner in addition to his work on offense.

Make no mistake, the Steelers will not be hemorrhaging talent and setting themselves back for a generation if they lose a bunch of free agents this year. That Kenneth Gainwell is the name people focus on really means they don’t have too much to worry about. Remember, they still have Jaylen Warren; we’ve barely seen Kaleb Johnson yet, and… there are other running backs. Re-sign Gainwell, yes, but it won’t make or break the team—or the bank.

The Steelers exited the playoffs in the first round yet again, a pattern going back to 2017. With seven consecutive postseason losses, and no wins in nearly a decade, they are facing another long, long offseason. No doubt we will see many changes, but none will top Mike Tomlin resigning.

The NFL has crowned its latest champion, but for us and the Steelers, we have been in offseason mode. That’s what happens when the team you cover loses by the middle of January all the time, but you’ve been around, so you know that already. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.