The Pittsburgh Steelers are embarking on a transformative offseason, marked by significant changes, most notably the departure of long-time head coach Mike Tomlin after 19 years at the helm. This shift is poised to impact not only the coaching staff but also the roster itself, as an impressive 28 players are set to enter free agency. Additionally, the team faces pivotal decisions regarding high-profile veterans like T.J. Watt and his future in Pittsburgh.
Another major question looms around team captain Cameron Heyward, who may or may not decide to return for his 16th season in the NFL. After yet another successful year that earned him an All-Pro selection, there's speculation about whether he’ll choose to retire on a high note.
These roster decisions are just the tip of the iceberg. The Steelers are entering a significant transitional phase, with a new head coach who will likely want to imprint his vision onto the team. Collaborating closely with General Manager Omar Khan and Assistant GM Andy Weidl, this coach will have the opportunity to reshape the roster according to his strategy, which could result in some familiar faces being traded away.
According to Bradley Locker from Pro Football Focus, two Steelers players are listed among the 15 potential trade candidates this offseason: linebacker Patrick Queen and left tackle Broderick Jones.
Queen, who is approaching the final year of his three-year contract, has the potential to still be a crucial defensive asset in the middle. However, his performance since joining from Baltimore ahead of the 2024 season has not met expectations. As Locker points out, "When the Steelers invested nearly record money in Queen two offseasons ago, the team figured it had made a splash to bolster a good defense. Instead, that $41 million investment hasn’t been nearly worth the return." In the league, Queen has missed the highest number of tackles (53) since 2024, and his overall PFF grade of 48.0 ranks him as one of the least effective linebackers among those who played over 2,000 snaps during that time.
One of the most alarming aspects of Queen’s game is his tackling issues. These concerns have persisted throughout his stints in both Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Although he frequently finds himself near the ball, he often fails to make the necessary plays. In fact, in the 2025 season, he recorded an astounding 28 missed tackles, marking the highest total since tracking began in 2016. His missed tackles percentage stood at 17.8%, indicating a troubling trend of missed opportunities. While he did emerge as a defensive leader in 2025 and expressed some doubts about the scheme, it remains uncertain if the Steelers will decide to move on from him.
On the other hand, there’s offensive tackle Broderick Jones, who finds himself in a tight spot as the team deliberates over his fifth-year option—projected to be nearly $20 million and fully guaranteed for the 2027 season if exercised. Before suffering a season-ending neck injury in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears, Jones was beginning to show promise, despite allowing 23 pressures and six sacks in the 2025 season. He had worked on reducing the penalties that plagued him early in his career and seemed to be improving.
However, Dylan Cook’s emergence during Jones’s absence complicates matters for the Steelers. Locker notes that Jones has underperformed given expectations, reflected in his low PFF grades in both pass and run blocking, and he has allowed a staggering 22 sacks since 2023, ranking him among the top offenders in the league. With Cook receiving additional support and performing well, the Steelers face a challenging decision that weighs talent against financial implications, potentially putting Jones on the trading block.
As we look forward to the upcoming changes in the Steelers organization following Tomlin's exit, it will be interesting to see how these decisions affect offensive line coach Pat Meyer, who has successfully guided the offensive line's development, including Jones and Cook, towards the end of the previous season. What do you think—should the Steelers trade one or both of these players? Or can they turn their performances around and become key contributors moving forward?
