Steelers' Top 7 Value Players Ahead Of The 2026 NFL Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a new chapter now that Mike Tomlin is no longer the man steering the ship. Mike McCarthy takes over as just the fourth head coach in the Steel City since the 1969 season. That level of stability has been talked about for decades, but few will care much about McCarthy's hiring unless he can replicate the regular-season success Tomlin established over his 19 years in Pittsburgh.

Beyond that, McCarthy will be tasked with delivering much more postseason success than Tomlin managed down the stretch of his tenure. The first nine years of Tomlin's coaching career was filled with championships and playoff victories, but the last nine years left much to be desired when it came to meaningful postseason wins.

Steelers General Manager Omar Khan understood that with McCarthy entering his first season and expectations centered on winning now, the organization would need to uncover value in free agency while also carefully managing the salary cap. Those efforts were aimed at giving Pittsburgh the best possible chance to compete in the 2026 season. 

With that in mind, SteelerNation took a look at the contracts on the books for 2026 and identified the seven players providing the greatest value. 

1) Cole Holcomb

Holcomb is a low-risk, $1.98 million insurance policy, and prior to his severe knee injury, he was playing some seriously impressive football. Another year removed from that injury, combined with the fact that he'll count for less than $2 million against the cap in 2026, makes him one of the Steelers' best values.

2) Jaquan Brisker

A veteran player of Brisker's caliber in the prime of his career doesn't become available very often. 

Brisker made it clear that he took a hometown discount to come to the Steel City, and even though his $5.5 million cap hit makes him just the 14th-highest-paid player on the Steelers' roster in 2026, Pittsburgh got a steal with this deal.

3) Rico Dowdle

The Steelers' running back split between Dowdle and Jaylen Warren will be interesting to watch. However, Dowdle is costing Pittsburgh just $3.75 million for the 2026 season. That's a bargain when you consider he has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons and is now back in McCarthy's system, where he previously thrived.

4) Dylan Cook

Whenever Cook was thrust into the starting lineup, few expected him to gain the momentum he did. Instead, he provided starting-caliber tackle play and will cost the Steelers just $1 million in 2026. That type of production at essentially a league-minimum salary is rare and represents tremendous value for Khan and company.

5) Cameron Johnston

The Steelers were so high on Johnston entering the 2024 season that they signed him to a deal worth $3 million per year. A season-ending injury in Week 1 quickly derailed his first season in the Steel City.

Now back as the projected starter in 2026, Johnston will cost Pittsburgh just $1 million. If he performs the way the Steelers originally envisioned, they'll be getting the same player for $2 million less, albeit after a major injury. Should that happen, new special teams coordinator Danny Crossman and the fan base could have an elite field-position weapon once again.

6) Mason McCormick

When you look at rookie deals, it’s easy to lump a bunch of them together at this point. However, it’s hard to ignore McCormick’s value here. At just $1.26 million in 2026, he projects as a starting-capable guard at a very cost-effective price -- especially if he continues to develop.

7) Zach Frazier

Frazier has developed year after year since being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s projected to be an All-Pro in 2026, and if he reaches that level, his $2 million contract will look like tremendous value.

Steelers Will Need To Pay Their Young Offensive Line Soon

After the 2026 season, the Steelers will have to make decisions on players like McCormick and Frazier as their extensions are expected to be expensive.

Khan will need to determine how much money he wants to invest in his young offensive linemen, especially as he looks to keep the group together and allow them to develop over time.

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