The Pittsburgh Steelers should be expected to make some aggressive offseason moves in 2025. It was clear the team lacked talent at times during the 2024 season, and another first-round exit from the postseason should make the front office search for talent that could take the team to the next level. A big area of focus should be the offensive side of the ball, especially at quarterback and wide receiver. Pittsburgh should be looking to attack these positions in both the draft and free agency.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan speaks to members of the media during a press conference at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN.
The future of George Pickens seems to be up in the air. There is some speculation that the organization will decide to move on from him, but he is also eligible for an extension during the 2025 offseason. Regardless of what happens with Pickens, Pittsburgh should be looking to bring in some help at the position. An interesting option may be Cooper Kupp, who just finished his eighth season with the Los Angeles Rams. The veteran wide receiver spoke to the media on Monday, after losing in the playoffs the day before.
"Who knows what is going to happen?" Kupp said. "A lot of stuff is out of my control. We’ll see what it’s going to be. There was obviously stuff that was going on early in the season and we’ll see. I don’t have any clarity on what that’s gonna look like. Obviously would love to be in LA, but I don’t know what that is gonna look like."
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Cooper Kupp during a game with the Los Angeles Rams.
Kupp is 31 years old, has played eight seasons in the NFL, and has accomplished a lot. There was some speculation about his future in the NFL, however, he is still a very talented wide receiver. It is not absurd though to think retirement might be on the horizon for the receiver. Kupp made it clear on Monday that he plans to continue his football journey, whether that is in Los Angeles or not.
"Do I want to play next year? Oh yeah," Kupp said. "There’s no doubt in my mind I want to play football. I feel like I’ve got a lot of good football left in me. I definitely will be playing, I will be playing football next year. That much I know."
The veteran will be back on the field in 2025, but he could be wearing a different uniform. Kupp won't be a free agent until after the 2026 season, but the Rams have the potential to get out of his contract during the 2025 offseason. If the organization decides to release Kupp, the Steelers should be one of the first teams calling his agent.
Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
Rams' Cooper Kupp runs out to practice.
Steelers Could Benefit From A Disgruntled Cooper Kupp
There is also a world where Kupp requests a trade from the Rams during the 2025 offseason. The wide receiver wasn't highly-utilized down the stretch of the season, which could have made things sour between him and the team. Another factor to consider is Kupp's quarterback, Matthew Stafford.
Stafford is 36 years old, and he told reporters after the playoff loss that he would need to take time to think about his future. If the quarterback decides to retire, it is hard to imagine Kupp would want to return to Los Angeles to play. This could lead to him trying to force his way out, and he could be a major fix in the Steelers' wide receiver room.
What do you think about the possibility of adding Kupp? Let us know in the comments below!
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