Steelers Now
We are officially at the midway point of the 2025 NFL season, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently in the drivers seat of the AFC North, coming off their most impressive win of the year by knocking off the Indianapolis Colts. Before the team heads out west, it’s that time of the month to answer some questions from our loyal readers of the site.
As always, I sincerely appreciate all of the thoughtful inquiries that brought some fun discussion topics to the table.
Without further ado, here we go!
Q: Do you think that the Steelers will regret not being more aggressive at the trade deadline, specifically at wide receiver?
A: Acquiring Rashid Shaheed or Jakobi Meyers would have solved their WR2 issue in the short and long term, so long as they were able to retain them at the end of the season. Having said that, I don’t think their lack of talent on the perimeter is going to be the reason that this team fails to hit their potential. The quarterback, offensive line, and even the scheme have limitations that would have prevented those guys from being maximized the rest of the way.
The Seahawks look like a legit contender in the NFC, and the Jaguars needed a sure-handed security blanket to properly evaluate Trevor Lawrence the rest of the way, so it makes sense that those teams were buyers in a seller’s market. Pittsburgh needs to be serious about finding DK Metcalf a running mate this spring, but with how expensive his contract is, it makes sense that his partner in crime would come via the NFL Draft.
Q: In an ideal world, what position would Jalen Ramsey play within this defense? If the switch to safety is permanent, does that make the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade process a poor process?
A: Since the trade was announced back in June, I thought the best way to deploy him was in the slot, and my belief hasn’t changed to this point. Because of his physicality and high football IQ, I was hopeful that they’d be able to weaponize his skill set to allow him to consistently be around the football. Perhaps the best example of this would be how the Chargers use Derwin James.
The big caveat there is that they simply haven’t been healthy on the back end, and even if that were the case, I’m not convinced this staff is innovative enough to see that vision through. To me, the idea of swapping Fitzpatrick with Ramsey was that he was just a more versatile player. His debut at safety was solid and should be something that extends his career now that he’s in his 30s, but will there be enough ball production to warrant a $17M cap hit in 2026? We’ll see.
Q: How would Asante Samuel Jr. fit into Pittsburgh’s secondary?
A: With his NFL bloodlines, the well-documented pre-draft interest, and the need at the position, it definitely makes sense. The Steelers team doctor was the...
