Steelers’ Big Free Agent Signing Could Address Major Position Of Need After Failure In 2025

The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be an interesting team to watch throughout the rest of the 2026 offseason as trades around the league are starting to be completed and free agency is just around the corner. The organization does not seem to have any interest in rebuilding, and the "win now" mindset remains, even after the big overhaul on the coaching staff.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy was hired by the franchise after Mike Tomlin stepped down from his role, and it has been viewed as a controversial hire. Initially, many fans took to social media to voice their displeasures, but since then, it feels like the announcement of the new coaching staff, in its entirety, has provoked some optimism. McCarthy is an offensive-minded coach, which is completely different for the city of Pittsburgh. Many fans have thought that his offensive focus would play a role in the construction of the roster both on the trade market and through free agency, but according to beat writer Brooke Pryor of ESPN, that is not the whole story. 

Pryor wrote about Pittsburgh's upcoming free agency, where she highlighted the secondary as a spot on the roster that might see some spending.

"Defensively, the Steelers have a handful of free agents, but look for them to prioritize fortifying the secondary," Pryor wrote. "A league source indicated the Steelers aren't planning to move on from Jalen Ramsey, who offers valuable upside as a nickel, but there are still plenty of holes to fill. The primary need is finding a running mate for cornerback Joey Porter Jr."

Pittsburgh's secondary was underwhelming and downright abysmal at times in 2025, outside of Joey Porter Jr. Veteran Jalen Ramsey had his ups and downs, and safety DeShon Elliott missed the majority of the season due to injury, which did not help. James Pierre and Asante Samuel Jr. were nice surprises, but both of them are scheduled to become free agents this month. The real disaster in the secondary was the decision to sign Darius Slay during the 2025 offseason, while also not having a reliable replacement for Elliott. The signing of Slay should be considered a complete failure as his best days were clearly behind him.

Porter has proven himself as one of the best cornerbacks in football, and he should see a lucrative extension during the 2026 offseason. Ramsey seemed to lose a step on the outside, but played decently at safety and in the slot. He has been said to be a potential cap casualty by some, but his positional versatility and experience are far too valuable for the Steelers to just dump his contract. The Steelers are weak at both cornerback and safety, so it would make zero sense to get rid of the guy that can play both.

All that is known about Pittsburgh's secondary in 2026 is that Porter will be starting on the outside, while Elliott starts at strong safety. Ramsey will likely start on the backend somewhere as well. It will either be safety or cornerback. Brandin Echols is also under contract for the 2026 season, and he should be slotted into the slot cornerback role as of right now.

Steelers Need To Bring In A Legitimate Cornerback

Porter needs a running mate. Bringing back either Pierre or Samuel would be great, but probably only as depth pieces. The Steelers need a legitimate starting cornerback to play opposite of Porter. Some of the best names available on the free agent market include Jamel Dean, Tariq Woolen, and Jaylen Watson. The position could also be addressed in the 2026 NFL Draft as the Steelers showed a significant interest in meeting with cornerbacks during the NFL's 2026 Scouting Combine. 

The trade market is another avenue to look at. There might be some cornerbacks that are coming up on contract years that may want a new deal, and that could cause some friction between the player and the organization. That could lead to a trade, which is something the Steelers should keep an eye out for.

Feel free to engage with me on X, @brogannoey!

#SteelerNation