Steelers In Huge Trouble As Price Tags Skyrocket For A Top Need

The Pittsburgh Steelers have big needs to fill throughout the franchise's roster during the 2026 offseason. The organization is going to have to do some serious work to bolster the secondary while also finding some more weapons on the offensive side of the ball. In addition to finding weapons, the quarterback position is a concern, as is the left side of the offensive line. Isaac Seumalo is likely going to walk in free agency, and left tackle is completely up in the air as Broderick Jones is trying to bounce back from a serious neck injury. Dylan Cook played well in relief of Jones, but it was such a small sample size that it would be hard to rely on him starting heading into a full season.

There is a chance that the entire left side of the offensive line is different to begin the 2026 season. Pittsburgh needs to consider bringing in competition for Cook and Jones at left tackle, and the same can be said at left guard as Spencer Anderson is really the only reliable option on the current roster. Free agency would be a good place to look, at least when it comes to the guard position, but offensive linemen are expected to get paid in a big way during free agency. This is not good for Pittsburgh as the competition to sign linemen will be strong, and it is going to cost more to get guys to agree to deals.

The Steelers currently have roughly $40 million in cap space, but the franchise also just released tight end Jonnu Smith, which should free up around $7 million. That is about $47 million to play with before any other roster moves or restructuring any contracts. That puts the Steelers at eighth in the NFL when it comes to available cap space for the 2026 season, but it might be wise to factor in a potential contract for Aaron Rodgers that could cost around $10 million.

It is good that the Steelers are near the top of the league when it comes to cap space, but the organization has so many holes to fill that it is hard to feel good about anything going into free agency. There is going to be a ton of competition when it comes to available offensive linemen, which is only going to drive prices up. Ben Solak of ESPN also pointed out that the lack of star power in this year's free agency class is only going to drive up the spending when it comes to players who might not be as good as their future contracts may indicate.

"With all the cash floating around this offseason and few star free agents to spend it on, my expectation is that players such as Braden Smith, Rasheed Walker and Zion Johnson sign for deals that seem hugely disproportionate to their talent level," Solak wrote. "Anything for a functional line these days."

Teams like the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, and Las Vegas Raiders all have significant needs along the offensive line, and conveniently, those three teams lead the league when it comes to cap space. They will all be able to spend, which can hurt a team like Pittsburgh who might end up being desperate to fill a spot at left guard or left tackle.

Steelers May Need To Focus On The Trenches In The Draft Yet Again

Pretty much every team drafts at least one offensive lineman every offseason, but Pittsburgh went through a stretch where it was doing that with a high selection. That might have to be the case again this time around, especially if the franchise cannot address tackle or guard in free agency. Jones' future being up in the air is rough, but having Cook there ready to go is nice. The bigger need is left guard, and that should be prioritized.

What do you think about the offensive line market? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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