2026 Free Agent Thread

i hate the raiders.

 

And Dean, Curl resigned with the Rams a couple days ago.

 

OK guys enough of this news.

 

Rico,,, 2yrs 12.25 mil! Aaron Wilson just reported. Full details not out yet.

 

Lot of nice safeties and ILB's still out there. Could we be making a run at Floyd at ILB? Trade Queen to Dallas? G is a tough one, take a chance on Tucker can stay healthy? I'm leaning that way right now! Not a DT or IDL I would sign, so S, ILB, and G are whats left for me if we can swing it!

 

Upgrade #2 CB
Upgrade #2 WR
Upgrade #2 RB

I'll take that!
Now go get me a Guard!

Heck trade Watt. We have depth!

Then take BPA in every round. And don't push to over pay in FA or the draft for a QB.

 

I get the feeling the Steelers going to give up too much to move up in the draft.

 

The Khan Man is going to convince another team to let us move up for only a 2089 8th round draft choice.

 

Bush was terrible in Seattle, and wasn't very good his 1st year in Cleveland. So he's had one good year in Pittsburgh, and now one in Cleveland. 2 good years out of 7 doesn't prove anything.
Pickens was always good.
We didn't let him go because he wasn't good.

 

If they had their 1st round pick they may could find one. LoL

 

Oh yes You can. If you can say Tomlin won with Cowher's players, and there was only 10 of them out of 53, I guarantee we will have more than 10 left this year, but it's stupid to say anyway . If You get FAs they are someone else's players, and if You win a SB early, like Seattle, they are with someone else's players. It's a dumb thing to say. Example: Both teams in the SB this years HCs did it with someone else's players.

 

The Steelers will likely need to open up some additional cap room here soon to sign qb and if they plan on making additional above vet min signings.

I am expecting Malik Harrison to be released. That should be a no brainer move. They can restructure some contracts. Then there would be trade candidates in Ramsey and Queen that open significant cap space.

 

I think they will sign a guard in free agency, the Post Gazette is reporting that the news on Jones injury is better than thought.

 

Tomlin couldn’t win with Tomlin’s players for a decade. So, it doesn’t really apply here.

 

The patriots beat the texans in the playoffs when the texans had a 10 game winning streak...Also the Pats beat the bucs on the road when they were 6-2....

But look at the common games between the Bills and the pats,the pats had still the edge

 

Why didn't we resign Gainwell?

 

MM to run a different offense. Dowdle a better rusher especially between the tackles. And as others have said, Pittman will take the receiving targets that Gainwell would have gotten.

2025 Rushing Yds by direction:

 

FA grades across the NFL. Kahn with a mixed bag. They love the Dowdle signing, meh the Dean signing, thumbs up for Samuels:

NFL free agency grades 2026: The good, bad and ugly of key deals - The Athletic

 

I'm still of the mind that the Steelers need to do a full rebuild here, but I'm admittedly intrigued to see how things play out next year. New staff with a nice offensive mindset, we've added a true No. 2 receiver and cornerback and already started addressing depth. I'm not sure what to expect without Tomlin, but I can at least see the vision.

Add a few more pieces via FA (including a QB) and add the best players available in the draft (unless someone at a position you really need just falls to you)

 

They have a serious problem with him in the line up!

Dylan Cook should have the job even if the bust is healthy enough to try to compete.

They will be looking for a tackle somewhere in the draft and add in FA.

Left guard should be a priority unless they feel that Spencer Anderson can be plugged in which is a possibility then draft one in the late rounds.

Arizona gave Seumalo a 3 YEAR contact!

 

If they are targeting Sonney Styles or similar in the draft! He would be a solid addition and might have to be a trade up.

Holcomb is a nice back up piece to have.

 

Who?

 

Gained
WR - Michael Pittman
CB - Jamel Dean
RB - Rico Dowdle

Lost
G- Issac Seumalo
RB Kennth Gainwell
CB - James Pierre

Biggest need - WR and QB

What I think we've done.
Cast of WR's
Michael Pittman sure does address a need, but more is needed. Last year, anyone not named Metcalf barely registered any sort attention from defenses.
Occasionally, Calvin Austin snuck a catch or two in.
The rest caught passes mostly because the defense didn't pay much attention to them.
Signing Romeo Doubs would be a very good addition I just can't get on board with it even though I am a huge fan.

A good cast of WR's opens the box, forces the defense to account for them.
A good QB that can find and hit the open man is even better.

On offense, the shift is to putting the pass catching in the hands of the WR's and TE's and OCCASIONALLY, the RB.
Gainwell left and the Steelers added a ground pounder in Dowdle and already had Kaleb Johnson on board.
Jaylen Warren probably slips back to his role as a versatile threat to catch and run or just run.

The loss of Seumalo knocks a hole in the OL which has been so-so.
It frustrates me that he couldn't be resigned, but there are some G's available that could ease that pain.

The loss of Pierre stings a little, offset with the addition of Dean.
I'd like to see another viable option at CB.

All said and done, it's mostly a backfill Free Agency for us with the exception being a trade for Pittman.
A lot can change and a lot of teams are doing the unexpected, so we'll see how our plan pans out.

 

Karl, good stuff, but linebacker could also be a problem. If they really do unload Queen, they become very thin. Trusting Holcomb to start seems like a terrible idea given his unimpressive return last season and history of injuries.

 

What you said.

I think trading Queen could net us a pick, maybe 2 (doubtful) but makes the hole at LB bigger.
LB's are not great in the FA period.
I was hoping for a Quay Walker and also letting Holcomb walk.
Right now, I don't see a solution other than the draft.