Steelers Weakest and Strongest Positions Leaving OTAs

As the Pittsburgh Steelers wrap up OTAs and head into a month-and-a-half long break before training camp begins, they have to feel optimistic about where their roster stands.

The Steelers did an admirable job of filling a vast majority of their holes, and they've put together a group that should once again contend for a playoff spot in Mike McCarthy's first year as head coach.

With that being said, though, there are a few positions at which Pittsburgh is lacking, which could potentially cause some problems once the regular season kicks off.

Here are our rankings for the top and bottom three units for the Steelers as the offseason program concludes.

Three Strongest Position Groups

Nov 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) looks on during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

3. Interior Defensive Line

Even though he's entering his entering his age-37 season, Cam Heyward remains one of the NFL's elite interior defensive linemen. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2025 with 78 tackles, 50 pressures (per Pro Football Focus) and 3.5 sacks while showing no signs of slowing down.

Opposite Heyward is Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon, making up a commanding trio in the trenches that stacks up among the league's top units.

Benton, who is in line for a sizable extension entering the final year of his rookie deal, posted a career-high 5.5 sacks and 31 pressures last season.

As a rookie, Harmon logged 3.0 sacks and 22 pressures while acting as a stabilizing force for the Steelers' run defense.

The team has plenty of depth up front with the likes of Sebastian Joseph-Day and Yahya Black, among others, making the interior defensive line a clear strength on their roster.

2. Cornerbacks

Joey Porter Jr. is right on the cusp of becoming an upper-echelon cornerback after playing at a top-10 level in 2025, which he should be able to leverage into a massive new contract with the Steelers at some point in the coming months.

Pittsburgh inked long-time Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jamel Dean to a three-year, $36.75 million in free agency, and he'll now join forces with Porter Jr. to form a superb duo on the boundary.

Jalen Ramsey will be the top dog in the slot while also mixing in some reps at safety, leaving some opportunities open for Brandin Echols and perhaps Daylen Everette to get into the mix there.

Additionally, the organization brought back Asante Samuel Jr. on a one-year, $4 million contract after he performed rather well down the stretch last season.

With three good-to-great starters and impressive depth, the Steelers' cornerback room is in excellent shape heading into the 2026 campaign.

Nov 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig (51) follows the play against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

1. EDGE Rushers

Even as T.J. Watt comes off of one of the worst seasons of his prolific career, which saw him post 7.0 sacks and 46 pressures in 14 games, Pittsburgh's EDGE rusher group is arguably the best in the NFL.

Nick Herbig, who just signed a four-year extension totaling $100 million, posted 7.5 sacks in 2025 alongside the league's best EDGE pass rush win rate at 25 percent, per ESPN Analytics.

Alex Highsmith led the teams in sacks with 9.5 last season, and there's a real case to be made that he's the best of the bunch at the position for the Steelers.

With Jack Sawyer also in the mix as a good No. 4 option after a solid rookie year, Pittsburgh's EDGE rusher group is flourishing.

Three Weakest Position Groups

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws during the first half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

3. Quarterbacks

What would've had a real argument as the worst quarterback room in the league had Aaron Rodgers not returned still isn't a real asset for Pittsburgh even though the four-time MVP is back in the fold.

Rodgers is far from a liability at 42-years-old, though it's hard to assert that he's a top-20 player or so at the position. The Steelers' roster is talented enough to make up for some of his deficiencies, but the offense's ceiling is capped with him at the helm.

Whoever wins the backup job between Will Howard and Mason Rudolph isn't going to lead Pittsburgh to the promise land if they have to fill in for any period of time, and Drew Allar shouldn't come anywhere near the field during the regular season as he cleans up his game.

The Steelers' quarterback room is far from a disaster, though it's also not a strength.

2. Safeties

Jaquan Brisker and DeShon Elliott is a really solid starting tandem for Pittsburgh, but there are a few question marks with them.

Brisker's concussion history, which caused him to miss all but five games during the 2024 campaign, is rather scary and could be a leading factor why he had to settle for a one-year, $5.5 million deal with his hometown team this offseason.

As for Elliott, he appeared in just five contests in 2025 due to a knee/hamstring injury, so there's some potential durability concerns there as well.

The Steelers don't have much depth to write home about either, even if Ramsey spends some time at the position, with Darnell Savage, Robert Spears-Jennings and Sebastian Castro, making safety a potential weak spot on their roster.

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen (6) drops into coverage against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

1. Inside Linebackers

Patrick Queen had a rough 2025 campaign with a league-leading 32 missed tackles according to PFF, and he simply hasn't lived up to the three-year, $51 million deal he signed with Pittsburgh ahead of the 2024 season.

Maybe he'll bounce back in new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's system, but he has to prove himself before the Steelers can feel confident in what he brings to the table.

While Payton Wilson is athletic and has the tools to be strong in coverage, his run defense leaves a lot to be desired as a starter for the third-straight season next to Queen.

Cole Holcomb and Malik Harrison are fine depth pieces, though the latter is a prime cut candidate, and Carson Bruener is more of a special teams ace than a true inside linebacker.

It remains to be seen if the Steelers look to add to this group, and if they don't, it's not a unit that inspires much confidence.

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