Steelers Have Surprising Plans To Shake Up Strong Offseason Moves

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a somewhat successful offseason in 2026 when it comes to player acquisition. Some believed that losing former head coach Mike Tomlin would make the organization less of an attraction in free agency, but Pittsburgh was still able to upgrade the roster throughout the process. Additions like Rico Dowdle and Jaquan Brisker will pay dividends, while the franchise also got great value at cornerback with Jamel Dean. Acquiring wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. through a trade with the Indianapolis Colts was another move that improved one of the areas that the Steelers were weak at in 2025.

Dean has been one of the more underrated signings of the offseason so far. He was one of the top cornerbacks available, and the Steelers were able to bring him in on a three-year deal worth just under $37 million. General Manager Omar Khan set up the contract in a way that the franchise can get out of the deal after just one year, if that seems to be necessary. Pittsburgh did other things in the cornerback room as well as the organization re-signed Asante Samuel Jr. on a one-year deal. The top of the cornerback room is set, but beat writer Mike DeFabo of The Athletic does not believe that takes cornerback out of the running to be a top pick for the Steelers in the 2026 NFL Draft.

"As I wrote previously, I heard at the [NFL] Combine that the Steelers were planning to draft a corner," DeFabo wrote. "Even after signing Jamel Dean and Asante Samuel Jr., that still appears to be in the cards, maybe even early. Five corners visited the Steelers, the second most of any position group behind the receivers. No other position had such a wide range of visitors, as the Steelers hosted players whose projections spanned Round 1 through Round 5."

DeFabo wrote a piece discussing all of the Steelers pre-draft visitors, and how that might correlate to which players are selected by the franchise in the 2026 NFL Draft. He noted that in the three drafts run by Khan, all three of his first-round picks took pre-draft visits to Pittsburgh. That is why five cornerbacks being in the facility for visits before the event is interesting, as Pittsburgh is clearly interested in adding to the room.

Dean has had a successful career so far with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he is expected to be a good player for Pittsburgh. He should be the starter on the outside opposite Joey Porter Jr., but the organization may still want to add depth at the position while setting the room up for the future. It is important to remember that Dean's contract is set up the way that it is for a reason, and Pittsburgh could move on from him after just one year.

DeFabo believes cornerback is on the table early on in the event, and that could even mean with the 21st overall pick. The only cornerback prospect Pittsburgh has had visit that could be drafted there is Chris Johnson, but even that would be a bit of a reach. Trading back and then selecting him would be ideal, especially if the trade helps the Steelers acquire 2027 draft capital.

Steelers Will Be More Likely To Grab A Cornerback On Day 2

The bottom line is that Pittsburgh needs to address wide receiver and the offensive line, and that should absolutely be the pick in the first round. Cornerback can wait, and there should still be some good prospects available on Day 2 when Pittsburgh has four selections. Treydan Stukes, Malik Muhammad, Tacario Davis, and Ephesians Prysock are all options on Day 2 that have visited the team. 

Another name to watch for in the first round is Jermod McCoy. He missed the entire 2025 season with an injury, but he is considered a top prospect. If he begins to slide in the first round due to his recent injury history, he could be a possibility at 21.

What do you think about Pittsburgh's interest in a cornerback? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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