Steelers Now
ESPN revealed their 2025 NFL future power rankings, and the outlook for the Pittsburgh Steelers is rather grim. The Steelers came in at No. 22 among 32 NFL teams, with an overall score of 75.1.
The uncertainty surrounding quarterback is the main concern for the ESPN panel, as the Steelers still don’t have a long-term answer at the games most important position.
“Pittsburgh’s long-term answer at quarterback is not currently on the roster. Aaron Rodgers is on a one-year deal, and then it’s back to the drawing board. In the short term, while I am optimistic, it remains to be seen how Rodgers, OC Arthur Smith and this offense come together in the 2025 season,” Louis Riddick wrote.
Seth Walder of ESPN thinks the Steelers are in for a rough ride in the near future.
“The Steelers will finish with five or fewer wins in 2027,” Walder wrote. “After an unsuccessful 2025 campaign with Rodgers, they will make an ill-fated attempt to compete again in 2026 with an aging roster. After that fails, they will finally commit to the teardown and rebuild in 2027.“
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com projects the Steelers to have four compensatory picks in the 2026 NFL Draft — one in Round 3, one in Round 4, one in Round 5 and one in Round 6. In total, the Steelers are expected to have 12 picks.
The 2026 NFL Draft class is absolutely loaded with talent. The class could include Texas’ Arch Manning, Penn State’s Drew Allar, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava, Oregon’s Dante Moore and Miami’s Carson Beck.
The loaded crop of quarterbacks in 2026 is good news for the Steelers, as they are in desperate need of a franchise QB. The extra picks also give general manager Omar Khan ammunition to trade up in the draft.
If the Steelers can nail the QB pick in 2026, the future should be a lot brighter than what ESPN outlines.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: ESPN Has Grim Outlook on Steelers Future
