Steelers Now
With the 2025 NFL season set to kick off, it’s time to unveil some of my Pittsburgh Steelers-related hot takes. The gist of this article is to throw out some bold claims that are believable enough to get me to buy in, but you can’t necessarily hold them over my head whenever they end up not coming to fruition. This is one of the more fun and engaging pieces that I write on an annual basis. It should be fun to revisit these here in a few months to see how everything ended up playing out.
We’re coming out hot! Few people in the NFL Draft space were higher on him as a prospect, and I have not wavered whatsoever in that confidence despite a rookie season that was wiped out due to injury. Fautanu performed well in the preseason, allowing zero pressures on 30 pass-blocking snaps according to PFF, but most importantly, he still looks like a truly special athlete for the position.
The late, great Tunch Ilkin is still the last right tackle to be honored with this recognition while wearing the black and gold, a streak that dates all the way back to 1989. In order for the Pittsburgh Steelers to reach their desired destination come January, the development of their young tackles is paramount. “Everything he does is fast, from his hands to his feet,” was a tidbit from my scouting report on him coming out of Washington, and hopefully his development will follow suit.
The seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback was the organization’s biggest swing on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, and the expectations for him are sky-high considering they had to trade Minkah Fitzpatrick in order to make it happen. His reputation in coverage after years spent shadowing opposing WR1s is well-earned, but his versatility was the real reason for this move. Ramsey can hang tight in man coverage, is a force in the run game, and can be moved around the formation depending on what the team needs on that specific down.
In Anthony Weaver’s defense last season, he blitzed a career-high 47 times and accumulated an impressive 12 pressures on those snaps. The Steelers defense is loaded with talent on all three levels, but the weaponization of a player like Ramsey could change the complexion of their unit and make them a more difficult team to prepare for on a weekly basis.
Another player acquired in the aforementioned trade was tight end Jonnu Smith, who is coming off a career-best season in Miami, in which he notched 884 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Given his experience in Arthur Smith’s multi-tight end offense, the organization also gave him a one-year extension. With two highly compensating guys already in the room, will Darnell Washington be the odd man out?
Not so fast, my friend. Both Smith and Freiermuth...
