Dorian Lane

Trade, sign, cut, extend – With new staff in place, Steelers have some tough roster decisions to make Mark Kaboly / Steelers Correspondent For The @PatMcAfeeShow PITTSBURGH — With Mike McCarthy putting the final touches on his coaching staff, the Steelers will now pivot to their own roster. That might be the standard mode of operation for every team at this time, but for the Steelers, it takes on greater importance this year, and it’s just not a part of the league calendar that can be anticipated, especially for a new regime calling the shots. Over his 19 years, you got to the point where Mike Tomlin’s preferences in building out the roster were known. With McCarthy, that’s not the case. He has no ties to who is on the roster, which would make it easier to move on from certain individuals that you might not have considered if Tomlin were still running the team. With free agency set to kick off in a little more than a month, the Steelers have plenty of decisions to make. So, let’s try our hand at trying to get inside the decision-makers' heads at 3400 S. Water Street and opine about what the Steelers should, need, and will do in something I call: ‘Trade, sign, cut, extend.’ If you remember back to the old ESPN Radio days, this is a spin-off of my radio debut and weekly Ken Laird’s segment of ‘Cut ’em or Keep ’em,’ but I digress. NOTABLE FREE AGENTS: SIGN OR NOT Aaron Rodgers (QB): The Steelers believe that Rodgers still wants to play and it is believed that Rodgers still wants to play, but under the right circumstances (and if you believe Cam Heyward, what the roster looks like), I see no downside to the Steelers bringing back Rodgers. What’s the worst that can happen? They go 5-12, and Will Howard gets another year of mentoring from a Hall of Fame quarterback? -- SIGN Kenny Gainwell (RB): If the old regime were still in place, Gainwell would be a slam dunk of a yes. But we don’t know McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio’s feelings on Gainwell, even if he was the Team MVP last year. Spotrac has his market value at 2 years for $6 million. For a guy who has made less than $6 million over his entire career, more money somewhere else might be attractive. -- CHOOSES TO SIGN ELSEWHERE Calvin Austin III (WR): Of course, anything can happen between now and March 11, but I’d be shocked if Austin doesn’t sign elsewhere. Now, don’t get that confused with what the Steelers should do, and that’s sign him. What they will do is out of their hands, and Austin will find a better fit somewhere else. -- CHOOSES TO SIGN ELSEWHERE Isaac Seumalo (OG): Seumalo played well last year despite dealing with injuries, but how much can you count on a soon-to-be 33-year-old playing guard even if your options are limited at the position? -- LET WALK Miles Killebrew (ST): A special teams captain, Killebrew is coming off a serious knee injury that cut his 2025 short. With Danny Smith gone and Carson Bruener stepping into the role of special teams’ leader, Killebrew is expendable. -- LET WALK Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR): Regardless of the Rodgers effect, Scantling didn’t do anything that stood out during his six games down the stretch, which indicates that the Steelers will and should bring him back. -- LET WALK Connor Heyward (TE): Heyward will be an interesting decision. His special team’s prowess will keep him in the conversation, but I tend to wonder if an innovative offensive mind could unlock Heyward’s unique offensive skill set? -- SIGN Asante Samuel (CB): I don’t see any harm in taking a flier on Samuel, and why Samuel wouldn’t want to stay with a team that has a potential open spot at one of the cornerback positions would be beyond me. -- SIGN The rest: S Chuck Clark, S Jabril Peppers, S Kyle Dugger, LB Cole Holcomb, WR Scotty Miller. -- LET WALK VETERANS: CUT/KEEP/TRADE? T.J. Watt (OLB): Watt’s production wasn’t up to the standards of a guy getting paid $40 million a season. He dipped under double-digit sacks for the third time over his nine-year career; however, two of those years were cut short by injury, and the other was his rookie season. Watt still is a dominant player in this league, and I believe he will be better in 2026. Sure, he’s going to be 32, and his cap hit is astronomical, making his trade value not ideal. Watt said he only wanted to play for Tomlin, but of course, he was going to say that about his coach at the time. A new start with new coaches and a new scheme just might be what Watt needs to return to that high double-digit sack guy. -- KEEP Cam Heyward (DL): I don’t care if he’s going to be 37 in May, and I don’t care if he wants a couple extra bucks or even an extra year added to his contract. Heyward is still one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league and has continued to show that. Even if a new staff member is coming in, maybe wanting to shake things up (Tomlin cut Joey Porter his first month on the job in 2007, although it was framed as a salary cap move), you can find somebody else if you want to do that. -- KEEP Jalen Ramsey (CB): Ramsey was very good until they asked him to play safety, and then the production dipped. That complicated things. If the idea is to move Ramsey back to the slot and still be a mentor to Joey Porter Jr., like last year, you keep him. -- KEEP Patrick Queen (LB): Queen is in the final year of the three-year contract he signed in 2024 and finds himself being circled as a potential release. Queen hasn’t been as consistent as you might want, but let’s not act like he hasn’t played well. Plus, he’s needed at that position. I’d label Queen more under the column of getting an extension than getting cut. -- KEEP Jonnu Smith (TE): Smith was an Arthur Smith favorite, playing for him both in Atlanta and Tennessee. But Arthur Smith isn’t around anymore, and that’s not good for Jonnu Smith, who really didn’t distinguish himself last year. The Steelers will accrue a $4 million dead cap hit by releasing him, but can save $8 million in the long run. -- CUT EXTEND OR PLAY IT OUT? Chris Boswell (PK): Boswell is one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL. He wanted a raise last year but didn’t get it. He will get it this year and will flirt with being the highest-paid kicker in the NFL. -- EXTEND Broderick Jones (LT): Jones hasn’t lived up to being the 14th overall pick. With the play of Dylan Cook when Jones went out with an injury over the final month, that pretty much assured the Steelers won’t pick up Jones’ fifth-year option. Let him fight with Cook for the job, and let’s see if the new offensive line coaches can fix what has been wrong with Jones. -- PLAY IT OUT Joey Porter Jr. (CB): Porter inserted himself into the conversation as one of the best cornerbacks in the league last year and will get paid nicely because of it. With Porter, you start at $25 million a year and go from there, especially with the salary cap getting a big boost. -- EXTEND Keeanu Benton (DL): The Steelers want to build out both their offensive and defensive lines before really diving into fixing the quarterback position long term. You don’t do that by letting a 23-year-old versatile defensive lineman, coming off his best year, walk after the season. -- EXTEND Nick Herbig (OLB): Herbig’s talent is undeniable yet still untapped. That should be good for the Steelers because his stats aren’t conducive to being one of the highest-paid. Herbig should be affordable as their No. 3 and has a good chance of being one of the best pass rushers in the league over the next few years. -- EXTEND Darnell Washington (TE): Washington had a breakout season, nearly doubling his single-season highs in targets, catches, and yards, not to mention his blocking abilities. Washington’s game isn’t an Arthur Smith creation. The way Washington plays transcends schemes. He can fit anywhere and do a lot of things tight ends can’t do. -- EXTEND Cory Trice (CB): Way too many injuries for Trice over his short career to even contemplate an extension. -- PLAY IT OUT Spencer Anderson (OL): Anderson is a serviceable lineman who can play all five positions and a tight end. But being a full-time starter is what gets players extensions, and I am not sure Anderson falls into that category. -- PLAY IT OUT

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