The offseason is just about here across the National Football League.
There is just one more game for the 2024 season before every team can turn their focus to 2025. The Steelers had a very solid regular season and made it to the playoffs, but failed to make a deep run. The Steelers struggled down the stretch and was knocked out by the Baltimore Ravens.
Changes are going to be on the way for the Steelers this offseason. Pittsburgh has made it known that Mike Tomlin will be back in 2025, but clearly the Steelers need to take a look at the roster and make some changes.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell attempted to look at each playoff team and make predictions based on how rosters could change. For Pittsburgh, he mentioned Cole Holcomb, Larry Ogunjobi, and Preston Smith as potential cut candidates.
“Potential candidates for release: LB Cole Holcomb, DL Larry Ogunjobi, Edge Preston Smith,” Barnwell said. “The Steelers don’t need to create cap space, but there are a few veterans on defense whose salaries aren’t in line with their roles. Holcomb suffered a serious knee injury in December 2023 and missed all of the 2024 season, which was one of the reasons the Steelers signed Patrick Queen in free agency. Payton Wilson seems likely to start alongside Queen in 2025, and it wouldn’t make sense to pay Holcomb the $6 million he’s owed to serve as a backup linebacker.
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“Smith was acquired in midseason from the Packers and played about 20 snaps per game with the Steelers, racking up two sacks and two quarterback knockdowns. He was a healthy scratch in Week 17 and then again in the playoff loss to the Ravens. With Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig ahead of him on the depth chart, there’s no way he will be back at the $13.4 million figure he’s owed, all of which is unguaranteed.”
Pittsburgh needs to take a hard look at the roster if it wants to turn things around in 2025. What will the team do?
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