The official 2025 NFL Free Agency thread

This is where I'm starting to lean as well, and for the same reasons. I like Khan, but he seems more of a numbers guy; obviously why he was in charge of the cap prior to his promotion to GM. But Weidl was brought in as assistant GM specifically to bring the scouting and talent evaluation aspects to the room. Some of Khan's moves signal his background and strengths - he was nimble last year in bringing in both Wilson and Fields; as you mention, the Metcalf move; the Claypool trade - but others hint at his shortcomings, like dealings with the Aiyuk/WR2 situation last year and his approach to this year's free agency. He seems to get too focused on the 'art of the deal' (sorry) and less on the individual talent at times.

 

With FA, the Steelers go into negotiations with a number they are willing to pay. Traditionally they do not go beyond that number. Especially in the first month of FA teams tend to overpay or get into bidding wars over top FAs driving prices up for 2nd tier guys. We don't overpay for guys so we don't usually sign top or even 2nd tier FAs. We never have. We will either get our guys at the price pre-determined or we let them sign with other teams.


This is how the Steelers have done the offseason for as long as I can remember. I started watching late 70s but didn't start looking at offseason moves and drafts until the 90s. So, a minimum of 30 years it's been this way.


If Fields would have signed for $20M guaranteed, we would already have our QB. Also probably would not have brought back MR. I'm very much interested in trade talks for Joe Milton from the Patriots. If we draft a QB that's fine. If we just roll with MR that's fine. If we make another trade or sign one of the over the hill gang, that's fine too. The Steelers will continue to do business the same way they have for the last 30+years.

 

What would you rather have 20 mill or 30 mill guaranteed??

 

Obviously $30M is the correct answer.

If you use the entire context of my post you would see it was an example of the previous paragraph.


Curious though, do you see Fields as a top FA, 2nd tier, or as a filler until something better comes along? Obviously the Steelers didn't see him worth $30M guaranteed. But we would have given him $20M. I would say the Steelers see him as 2nd tier.

 

He still should be given more opportunities to use his size advantage in the redzone.

 

Prob a 2nd tier, but i would take him over anyone else out there. They cant pay him 30 mill for2 years but are willing to pay A WR who has had 2-3 1000 yrd seasons in 6 years? Thats crazy.. That being said, i think MR will be fine and we will finish 9-8 , 10 -7 again or higher... spend the rest of the $$ on players they really need

 

They took a WR with their second

They just took it early

 

This is similar to what I've been saying since he passed on Harris's fifth-year option. It's as if everything has to be a bargain or he doesn't want it. Every move has to be great instead of just good. Playing that way ends up getting you nothing, which is very close to what they've gotten in free agency.

 

Yeah, I know you've been on him for that. I gave a little more leash at first, but this FA period has me leaning a little further in that direction. There's an art to roster construction. Khan has the more concrete elements of that down, but there's a side of talent acquisition that traipses into some gray areas that he seems to struggle with.

He seems to know good talent in general and how to stamp a figure on it, but it's the times he has to stray from the usual metrics that he seems apprehensive.

 

Colin "Coward" loves us I do agree with our late season swoons.

But when it comes to his recent 2025 NFL standings prediction, Cowherd isn't reaching. He has the Pittsburgh Steelers finishing third in the AFC North behind the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals.

Whether or not Aaron Rodgers goes to Pittsburgh or not, they are tone-deaf offensively and over the last five years, they just consistently get bad late in the year.

 

I remember seeing a blurb after this year's late season collapse that said the Steelers had lost at least three games in a row post-Thanksgiving in five of the last seven years.