The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of work to do if they are going to get back into the Super Bowl contender conversation. Last season, the end-of-year collapse showed the front office that the defensive line and wide receivers were not up to the standards of a competitive team in the NFL. Omar Khan knows that those are two areas he must address immediately. With a good amount of cap space to work with heading into free agency, Khan should be able to find talented receivers and defensive linemen that could make the impact they desperately need. Gerry Dulac believes that Steelers are already looking to make moves on two key players once free agency starts, setting the tone for the offseason.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan speaking to members of the Pittsburgh media at the 2025 NFL Combine.
During Dulac's recent Steelers Chat, he was asked about any players that the Steelers are looking at this offseason, especially during the free agency period. Dulac believes that the team still has interest in a receiver they almost got at the trade deadline this past season and a Super Bowl-winning defensive player to help bolster their trenches.
"As for WR, I think you can start with who they were ready to make a trade for in the regular season - Christian Kirk," said Dulac. "As for DL, how about Super Bowl stud Milton Williams from the Eagles?"
Adding these two players would have an immediate positive impact on both sides of the ball. Christian Kirk, who broke his collarbone right before the trade deadline, was on the Steelers' radar for a good bit of time this past season. He still would need to be released or Pittsburgh would need to trade for him. During Kirk's time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he played in 37 games with 168 receptions for 2,274 yards and adding 12 touchdowns. He'd be an upgrade to a wide receiver room filled with journeymen.
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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (#13) runs on the field against the Los Angeles Chargers during a wild-card playoff game at then-TIAA Bank Field.
Milton Williams was a huge part in the Philadelphia Eagles' success in their Super Bowl matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished the night with four total tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, and recovery to help the Eagles win their second Super Bowl in their franchise history. He would be a great addition to the defensive line and allow the Steelers to become more flexible with Keeanu Benton.
These potential additions could be the first steps for the Steelers to finally get over the dry spell they have in January. With how poorly their run defense and pass rush was to end the 2024 season, adding someone who played for a team that executed what the Steelers wanted to do is exactly what they need inserted into their locker room. Not only do many fans believe that Khan should use the Eagles' blueprint when it comes to the defensive trenches, but stealing a piece of that blueprint could be even better. With Kirk, he is just what Khan is looking for to start the offseason. Adding a reliable second receiver that poses more of a threat than their previous options from last season outside of George Pickens.
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Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens after scoring a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 Wild Card Round.
The Steelers are working with plenty of cap room heading into free agency and they could free up even more with cuts and restructured contracts. The front office doesn't want to leave any stone unturned and will do everything in their power to make sure that the glaring holes that held the organization back from postseason success doesn't continue to hinder them in 2025 and down the road.
Steelers Need To Make Moves To Bolster Glaring Weaknesses
The Steelers have a lot of work to do if they are going to get back on top of the NFL mountain. The good news for them is that Khan has shown in his first two years as their general manager that he isn't afraid to be aggressive in free agency and knows how to find talent in the NFL Draft. With pressure from fans wanting to see playoff football back in Pittsburgh, Khan will likely not make the same mistakes as he did last year with the Brandon Aiyuk situation, making sure the roster has quality talent across the board. If the Steelers were to add Kirk and Williams this offseason, fans will slowly gain faith in the organization once again.
Should the Steelers add Kirk and Williams this offseason? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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