The various outlets that publish power rankings haven’t been able to agree on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ placement this offseason. A FOX Sports list even had them bottoming out at No. 30 at one point. A flurry of impactful trades and signings since then has forced a change in expectations for the Black and Gold. The Athletic’s Josh Kendall just placed the Steelers at No. 13 in his pre-training camp rankings.
“The Steelers made T.J. Watt the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history, signed Aaron Rodgers and Darius Slay in free agency, traded for DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith, drafted defensive tackles Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black and traded George Pickens and Minkah Fitzpatrick,” Kendall wrote. “This team seems very determined to win its first playoff game since the 2016 season.”
Kendall previously had the Steelers at No. 15, so he gave them a modest—but meaningful—bump in his latest edition. The 13th team, and the seventh in the AFC, would mean they are being viewed as a playoff team. This still has them as the third-best team in the AFC North, one spot behind the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Steelers have added enough impact players to turn some heads, and even their biggest detractors are starting to come around on their chances in 2025. Notice how the talking heads on national television have ceased their predictions of Mike Tomlin’s first losing season.
It wasn’t long ago that the Steelers were still waiting on Rodgers to make up his mind on whether he was going to sign with them. They didn’t have Jalen Ramsey or Jonnu Smith on the roster then, either. And there was at least some question as to whether T.J. Watt would be on the 2025 roster while his negotiations were at a standstill. All of those problems are now alleviated. The Steelers enter training camp with no drama for the first time in years. No quarterback competition, no contract questions, just football.
If there’s one area the Steelers could stand to upgrade, it’s safety. The hole left by the Fitzpatrick trade might prove to be more significant than anticipated. Fortunately, there are a few notable names still available on the free agent market, including former All-Pro Justin Simmons.
Players will report to Saint Vincent College tomorrow and practice for the first time Thursday. The next three weeks and the ensuing preseason games should tell us a lot about the 2025 Steelers and whether they are capable of continuing their climb up the league rankings.
