The Pittsburgh Steelers certainly have the talent to field a competitive team this season. However, with nearly an entirely new coaching staff, there’s always a chance things get off to a slow start. If Pittsburgh suffers its first losing season since 2003, there could be serious ramifications next offseason.
“If they have a 6-11 season, I can see them moving on from a whole heck of a lot of people. Cam [Heyward] can be one of them,” Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly said Tuesday on his Steelers Collective show. “Maybe, you know, [DeShon] Elliott, [Patrick] Queen, [Jalen] Ramsey. They do gotta pay for some of these offensive linemen.”
Usually when a new coaching staff comes to town, there’s some level of roster turnover. But Mike McCarthy inherited a lot of talent and kept most of it this offseason. T.J. Watt, Jalen Ramsey, Patrick Queen and DK Metcalf are among the notable players the coaching staff kept.
However, a bad Steelers season, which Kaboly thinks is possible, could lead to a shake-up. It will depend on how they perform this season, but some of the names Kaboly throws out do make sense as potential departures.
Cam Heyward is one player who immediately comes to mind. Despite his age, Heyward has remained consistent and had a tremendous year in 2025. Heyward will be 38 after this season, and he may not want to play another year on a Steelers team that far from contention. T.J. Watt would have two years left on his own contract at that point, so that might be an easier time to get off of his deal.
Jalen Ramsey is a more interesting case. After 2026, he will have two years left on his contract. Ramsey will be heading into his age-33 season, but he’s shown he can still play at a high level. Yet, regardless of how he looks in 2026, the Steelers may want to get younger defensively if they have a bad season. Which could lead to the end of Patrick Queen’s time in Pittsburgh as well. Queen will be a free agent next offseason, and after a spring filled with trade rumors Pittsburgh likely won’t be chomping at the bit to bring him back.
Obviously, individual performances from all those players will affect whether they stay or not. And the Steelers could very well have a good season given the roster improvements they have made. But if that doesn’t come to fruition, Kaboly thinks we might see significant roster turnover.