Steelers' Early Report Card for Most Impactful Offseason Decisions
The first week of NFL free agency is complete, and while the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't been as active as some other franchises, they've already made some substantial 2024 changes.
And change was needed after a 2023 campaign that saw the offense struggle, quarterback Kenny Pickett lose his starting job and Pittsburgh make an unceremonious exit in the wild-card round.
With a few new additions now in place and the draft still to unfold, the Steelers have a very real chance to take the next step as a contender in 2024.
Here, we'll examine the biggest decisions of the Steelers offseason thus far and grade them based on factors like value, risk and potential upside.
Hiring OC Arthur Smith
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Pittsburgh made one of its most significant changes when it fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada in-season. After the playoffs, the Steelers replaced him with former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.
Fans who watched the Falcons offense struggle over the past couple of seasons might not have been thrilled with the hire—though after two-plus years of watching Canada's unit underachieve, any change might have been welcomed.
However, Smith is a proven offensive coach who had success with the Tennessee Titans before joining the Falcons. The 2019 Titans, for example, ranked third in yards per carry, seventh in net yards per pass attempt and 10th in scoring.
The 2020 Titans ranked second in total defense and fourth in scoring.
Those numbers should be attractive to a Steelers team looking to play aggressive defense, establish the run and generate big plays in the passing game.
Of course, Smith didn't get the same results as the Falcons' head coach, so there's no guarantee that he'll bring immediate offensive improvement. Still, in an offseason with multiple franchises hiring new regimes, Pittsburgh could have done far worse than landing Smith.
Grade: B-
Adding Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, Trading Kenny Pickett
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Less than a month ago, the Steelers still appeared to be in on Pickett, who was set to get a fresh start under Smith.
"The sentiment among many here in Indy—including some with the team—was that Pickett could get another chance after a disastrous 2023 season due in part to the offense's overall struggles under then-OC Matt Canada," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote after the scouting combine. "Smith should help maximize Pickett's skill set."
However, Pittsburgh quickly moved to sign quarterback Russell Wilson before the start of free agency and then traded Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles for minimal compensation—the Steelers got two seventh-round selections and moved from pick No. 120 to No. 98.
It was a dramatic shift, but it suggests that head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan had seen enough from Pickett to believe they couldn't win with him long-term. Wilson is an upgrade in the short term, and at age 35, he could be more.
No, Wilson didn't have a great two-year tenure with the Denver Broncos, but he was far from a disaster in 2023 (98.0 passer rating).
On Saturday, Pittsburgh added a new quarterback to develop instead of Pickett. The team acquired Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears for 2025 sixth-round pick that could become a fourth-rounder based on playing time, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Fields may get a chance to compete with Wilson, or he may sit and learn. Either way, the Steelers have taken two big swings at the game's most important position while opening themselves to minimal risk.
Overall, it's a huge series of events and an even bigger win.
Grade: A
Signing LB Patrick Queen
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Pittsburgh's defense needed some attention too, as the unit performed well overall but struggled against the run (21st in yards per carry allowed).
Stealing linebacker Patrick Queen away from the rival Baltimore Ravens will help the Steelers address their second-level defense in a big way. Queen has always been a physically gifted player with elite closing speed and solid tackling. Playing next to Roquan Smith in 2023, he had a career year and his first Pro Bowl campaign.
However, it should be noted that Queen had his fair share of early struggles, enough of them that Baltimore declined his fifth-year option. It's entirely fair to wonder how much of his 2023 success was a product of playing next to a truly elite linebacker in Smith.
And Pittsburgh paid a premium to get Queen off of that career year. He comes in on a massive three-year, $41 million contract. His $13.7 million annual salary now ranks fifth among all NFL inside linebackers.
If Queen continues to improve, it's a reasonable contract for Pittsburgh, but if he regresses away from Smith and the Ravens, it's a sizeable overpay. There's a fair amount of financial risk with this signing, though on paper, it was a home-run move.
Grade: B
*Contract information via Spotrac.
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