March 23, 2026, 1:26 p.m. ET
The transition from Mike Tomlin to Mike McCarthy as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach has gone smoothly and the Steelers seem well on their way to a competitive 2026 season. Having said that, there are still some big roster decisions that need have to be made and so we decided to answer some of them with a little “Would you Rather?” Steelers roster edition.
Would you rather have Aaron Rodgers or Will Howard as the starting QB in 2026?
At this point, it’s come down to whether or not Aaron Rodgers returns or the Steelers go all-in on Will Howard to see what they have. It doesn’t feel like either option makes the team a Super Bowl contender so at this point, it is more about a plan that helps the team build for 2027 and beyond. This means seeing what they have from Howard and possibly drafting another option would make more sense.
Would you rather move Jalen Ramsey back to cornerback or leave him at safety?
Pittsburgh signed veteran cornerback Jamel Dean, giving them a starting cornerback to pair up with Joey Porter Jr., but the team also signed safety Jaquan Brisker, who could easily be in line for a starting job at free safety. This leaves Jalen Ramsey in position limbo if DeShon Elliott comes back. We love the idea of Ramsey at safety along with Brisker and let Elliott be the team’s No. 3 safety and run stuffer.
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Would you rather start Alex Highsmith or Nick Herbig?
We almost included T.J. Watt in this one, but it goes without saying that if he’s healthy, Watt is starting. But the same can’t be said for Alex Highsmith on the other side. Nick Herbig was the best edge rusher on the team last season and most consistent linebacker overall. Last season Highsmith and Herbig each played just over 50 percent of the defensive snaps but we would have no issue if Highsmith was the rotating edge with Herbig taking a much larger share of the reps.
Would you rather be a run-first offense or a pass-first offense?
Last season the Steelers ran the football 407 times and threw the football 550 times. This season, the Steelers added a legitimate starting running back in Rico Dowdle to go with Jaylen Warren and could be a run-heavy system with that big offensive line. But the team also added wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and with the right quarterback, it could be a potent passing attack. We’d rather see this team run the football down teams throats behind that big offensive line and two-headed rushing attack and leave the passing game in the background until its needed.