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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Kirby Leei-USA TODAY Sports

2024 offseason primer: Steelers have plenty to answer for with restless fan base

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 2/22/24

Despite finishing 10-7 and sneaking into the playoffs in 2023, the Pittsburgh Steelers arguably have more questions than answers heading into the offseason.

Head coach Mike Tomlin was brought back to the dismay of some fans, quarterback Kenny Pickett’s future with the team in uncertain, ex-Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was brought on to be the new offensive coordinator, there are several defensive players who need new contracts and the team is over the 2024 salary cap.

Even with all of that on his plate, team owner Art Rooney II made it clear after Pittsburgh was eliminated by the Buffalo Bills during Super Wild Card Weekend that not winning a playoff game since 2016 is unacceptable, and the fans have a right to be upset.

“We've had enough of this,” Rooney said, via ESPN. “It's time to get some wins; it's time to take these next steps.”

Here’s what you need to know about Pittsburgh’s offseason:

PROJECTED 2024 CAP SPACE: -$4.42M (eighth-worst in NFL)

FREE AGENTS | Offense: QBs Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph; WR Miles Boykin; TE Dylan Cook; OT Chukwuma Okorafor

Defense: DE Montravius Adams; DTs Armon Watts, Renell Wren; LBs Kwon Alexander, Blake Martinez, Chapelle Russell, Markus Golden, Mykal Walker; CBs Levi Wallace, James Pierre, Chandon Sullivan, Elijah Riley; Safety Miles Killebrew

Special teams: Punter Pressley Harvin III

Outlook: Given his performance during the final three weeks of the regular season (three wins, 716 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions), Rudolph may draw some interest from other teams to potentially compete for a starting job in 2024. But if the Steelers can convince him to come back, it would be a coup given the uncertainty surrounding Pickett. Okorafor played 416 offensive snaps at right tackle, and he could be worth retaining on a one- or two-year deal.

Leak that #Steelers prefer Mason Rudolph to Kenny Pickett (as it appeared down the stretch) is a major indictment of Picket. Rudolph isn’t viewed league wise as a Bridge QB, a solid #2. He’s a 3rd stringer veteran minimum type QB.
— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) February 20, 2024

Alexander (41 tackles, five tackles for loss), Golden (six tackles for loss, four sacks, fumble recovery), Wallace (11 passes defensed, two interceptions, 55.6 completion percentage allowed) and Sullivan (nine yards per reception allowed, six passes defensed, one interception, one forced fumble) all played key roles on defense this season. It’s unlikely Pittsburgh can retain all of them. Of the four, Wallace will likely be the most expensive to keep, but he also is a key part of the secondary.

TOP DRAFT NEEDS (in order): OT, CB, C, DT, S — Dan Moore Jr. allowed eight sacks while playing left tackle in 2023, so taking a top offensive tackle in Round 1 this year like Georgia’s Amarius Mims or Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton would allow the Steelers to move last year’s first-round pick Broderick Jones from the right to the left side, his natural position.

If Pittsburgh elects to go defense in the first round, then grabbing a cornerback like Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry or Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell would allow the team to replace a player like Wallace with a younger, cheaper option. Look for the team to load up in the secondary and defensive line in the middle rounds.

DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia; Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma; Graham Barton, OT, Duke; Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama; Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo; Ennis Rakestraw, CB, Missouri; Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon; Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois; Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan; Byron Murphy, DT, Texas; Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota; Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami; Javon Bullard, S, USC

THREE 2024 STORYLINES TO WATCH: