Like the offseasons that have preceded it, 2027 will be about the quarterback. Do the Pittsburgh Steelers bank on Will Howard or Drew Allar as the future? Is the answer in the 2027 draft? Is there another door to open?\u00a0Until there\u2019s a long-term solution, it will always dominate the conversation.<\/p>\n
Putting aside the obvious, the other top storyline centers on the men asked to protect the quarterback. Pittsburgh\u2019s 2027 offseason will be defined by paying its offensive line, a good but expensive problem to have.<\/p>\n
Even knowing Broderick Jones isn\u2019t likely to receive a new deal, Omar Khan will have discussions with virtually everyone else. The 2023 draft class all could be in line for summer extensions: OT Troy Fautanu, C Zach Frazier and OG Mason McCormick. None will hit free agency until 2028, and Fautanu has the fifth-year option, but all three will be first-time eligible for a deal, and deserving of one. The longer teams wait, the more they pay.<\/p>\n
McCormick might be the cheapest, but even that is a relative term. The guard market\u2019s heated up the past two offseason cycles. His going rate could be $20 million per season.<\/p>\n
Robert Hunt signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the Carolina Panthers in 2024. This past offseason, Will Fries inked a five-year, $87.72 million, that\u2019s $17.5 mil per year, with the Minnesota Vikings.<\/p>\n
Given the salary cap\u2019s projected increase, McCormick could be looking at a similar figure. Perhaps a slightly shorter deal, a four-year extension with his final rookie year rolled into the agreement, but a big money pact all the same.<\/p>\n
Although McCormick hasn\u2019t received the fanfare of Frazier or Fautanu, he broke out in 2025. His run and pass blocking improved. He was durable and didn\u2019t miss a single snap.<\/p>\n
Frazier\u2019s market has spiked. Thank Tyler Linderbaum for that. He didn\u2019t just reset but shattered the center market this offseason, leaving the Baltimore Ravens for the Las Vegas Raiders on a three-year, $81 million deal. His $27 million APY blows away second place Creed Humphrey and his $18 million mark. Now, every center next to get paid will want to get near that figure.<\/p>\n
Unless Frazier truly has an All-Pro seasons, he probably won\u2019t surpass him. Something in the 20-million range, say $22 million per year, is realistic. Frazier\u2019s been steady and solid in the middle, and Pittsburgh won\u2019t want to start its pivot search again.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s Fautanu.\u00a0Flipping and likely staying at left tackle, he\u2019s playing a premium position. Even if the thinking is antiquated, blindside protectors still get paid more than their right side counterparts. The Colts\u2019 Bernard Raimann signed a four-year, $100 million contract in July, 2025. In January, Charles Cross went for an average of $26.1 million.<\/p>\n
Fautanu will be looking for the same if not more. He\u2019ll definitely want more than whatever Frazier commands at center. Fautanu could push for upwards of $30 million per year if his season is good enough.<\/p>\n
There is a caveat. Fautanu\u2019s fifth-year option is due next May, and it\u2019s likely to get be exercised. If so, he\u2019ll be the first by a homegrown Steeler since T.J. Watt. But that also could extend out the timeline of an extension by one season. Minkah Fitzpatrick and Watt had to wait one year from their option due dates to receive their extension. If Fautanu follows the same, his contract won\u2019t come until 2028.<\/p>\n
It would be rare for Pittsburgh to get a deal done with Fautanu two years out, but the longer the team waits, the more he\u2019ll cost. And if he has a great year, Pittsburgh, under Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy, who have never been in charge of a fifth year option situation in Pittsburgh before, might think about things differently. Age is a factor, too. Fautanu was an older prospect coming out of school. If Pittsburgh waits until 2028, Fautanu will be 27-going-on-28. Hardly old but the sooner he plays out an extension, the better the odds are for the Steelers to get good return on the deal.<\/p>\n
Either way, there will be at least some level of financial component to Fautanu next offseason. Either just his fifth-year option, an amount likely worth over $20 million, and the chance of a long-term pact.<\/p>\n
Naturally, this all presumes McCormick, Frazier, and Fautanu stay healthy and play well this season. Health is unpredictable, but it\u2019s reasonable to think all three will continue thriving on the field. Pittsburgh\u2019s invested so much in its offensive line and deserves credit for it. Soon will come the time to keep the group together. The \u201cretain\u201d part of draft, develop, retain.<\/p>\n
Fautanu and McCormick are shifting back to their college homes. Frazier has been nothing but excellent out of the gate. Pittsburgh won\u2019t want to break the band up.<\/p>\n
In average value, the deals could look like this:<\/p>\n
Mason McCormick: $20 million per season
Zach Frazier: $22-23 million per season
Troy Fautanu: $28 million per season (potentially $30 million-plus if his timeline waits another season).<\/p>\n
Big, big money.<\/p>\n
They aren\u2019t the only ones to think about. Dylan Cook might be one of the most interesting debates next year. He\u2019s slated to become a restricted free agent that can pay him the first substantial money of his NFL career.<\/p>\n
A refresher: teams can place a tender on a RFA: first, second, or original round. The other 31 teams can still submit a contract offer. If Pittsburgh declines to match, they lose the player but gain the pick corresponding to the tender.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s 2027\u2019s tender projections:<\/a><\/p>\n First Round: $8.735 million Because Cook went undrafted, the original round tender would only give Pittsburgh the right of first refusal and the opportunity to match the contract. If not, they won\u2019t receive a draft pick back.<\/p>\n That puts the team in an interesting position. Apply the original round tender and the team could save money. But it also opens themselves to teams submitting an offer for a still-young tackle without getting any compensation in return.<\/p>\n Applying the second round tender makes more sense. But it will cost more. Likely behind Max Iheanachor and Fautanu, he\u2019ll be an expensive backup.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the right answer? Hard to say. But paying for good offensive linemen is worth it, and the money \u201csaved\u201d by declining Broderick Jones\u2019 fifth-year option can be applied to Cook.<\/p>\n There\u2019s other names to consider. Spencer Anderson is in the final year of his rookie deal. Gennings Dunker appears to be the long-term hope, but what if Anderson wins the starting right guard job and holds onto it? It won\u2019t be so easy to just let him walk. Brock Hoffman signed a one-year deal and will be a free agent next year. Will Pittsburgh re-sign him for depth? They could.<\/p>\n Then, there\u2019s Jones. His future with the team looks bleak, but is there a scenario in which he returns? As Dave Bryan outlined on the podcast, Jones\u2019 contract, in theory, could toll and roll over into 2027 if, and it\u2019s a big\u00a0if, he spends the entire 2026 season on Reserve\/PUP due to his neck injury.<\/p>\n If not and he becomes a free agent, would Pittsburgh sign him back as a swing tackle? Probably not, but if Jones walks, and Cook gets poached on the tender, the team\u2019s depth will have taken a big hit.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh\u2019s 2027 offseason could be similar to 2014. That June, Maurkice Pouncey signed a five-year extension<\/a> to become the NFL\u2019s highest-paid center. Two months later, Marcus Gilbert signed his own five-year deal.<\/a> It was part of an effort to keep the group intact.<\/p>\n This time around, Pittsburgh could pay three players and for substantially more money. Combined, Pouncey and Gilbert\u2019s contracts amounted to about $74 million. Any one of Frazier\u2019s, McCormick\u2019s, or Fautanu\u2019s deals could surpass that.<\/p>\n These aren\u2019t complaints. Having talented draft picks to pay is welcome news for a team who has missed far too often. Only one selection of the 2020 class, EDGE Alex Highsmith, saw a multi-year second contract.<\/p>\n Ditto with the 2021 group \u2013 TE Pat Freiermuth. The 2022 class had none. Opening up the wallet for these names is what a team wants. But it\u2019s a storyline and projection that hasn\u2019t been discussed much, and one worth getting in front of.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also relevant for national talking heads like Colin Cowherd who criticize the team for spending so much on defense. Those scales will tip back if these deals get done.<\/p>\n McCormick. Fautanu. Frazier. Cook. Anderson. Jones. Hoffman. All offensive line decisions to work through.<\/p>\n
Second Round: $6.261 million
Original Round: $3.822 million<\/p>\n