Grading Wave 1 of Steelers free agency: Pittsburgh hits a few home runs at positions of need with a head-scratcher along the way
Here is where things stand with the Steelers’ roster after Wave 1 of free agency.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wasted no time during free agency last week, kicking things off with a bang less than an hour into Monday’s start of the negotiating window with the trade for Michael Pittman Jr.
The hits keep playing all the way through the week, and the roster looks a lot better than it did this time a week ago. Well, after grading each acquisition throughout the week, now is the time for a report card. We will go back through and recalculate the grades for each signing and trade, then tally them up for a final grade point average and letter grade. Here is where the Steelers stand after the first wave of free agency.
Michael Pittman Jr. trade: A
Anytime you can acquire a 28-year-old WR with a history of proven production to complement your WR No.1 for only a sixth-round pick, that’s a major win. The only thing holding me back from giving this move an A+ is the contract, but three years and less than $20 million per year for a player of his caliber is no real problem.
The Steelers lowered his $29 million cap hit for 2026 by signing Pittman to a three-year deal, and they have finally found a viable WR duo for the first time since George Pickens and Diontae Johnson were together.
Jamel Dean signing: B+
The CB No. 2 spot has been a revolving door opposite Joey Porter Jr., for years now. With Dean coming off his best year in the NFL, I love this move for the Steelers. The only downside is that Dean is now in his late 20s, and he’s often dealt with durability concerns in his career.
When he’s on the field, he’s been great, however, and the Steelers can get out of his contract after just one year if need be.
Rico Dowdle signing grade: A
When Kenny Gainwell left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Steelers immediately replaced that void with Dowdle. The truth is, he’s not a direct one-for-one replacement when it comes to Gainwell. A true downhill runner with a physical presence, he’s much more of a Najee Harris replacement.
Signing Dowdle to a two-year deal for less than what Gainwell got from Tampa, as he comes off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, one of which was with Steelers HC Mike McCarthy in Dallas, feels like a win to me.
Cameron Johnston signing: C
The only real head-scratcher on the list, I’m not sure why the Steelers decided to reunite with an older, often-injured punter over Corliss Waitman, who they could have easily re-signed before he joined the San Francisco 49ers. It’s not a big deal, but one that still doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Darnell Savage signing Grading: B
When the Steelers signed Savage, they just needed a warm body in that safety room with Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, and Chuck Clark all hitting free agency. He’s a fine depth piece, and the signing was a good appetizer for what came later in the week at safety. A one-year deal worth the veteran minimum is fine in my opinion.
Jaquan Brisker signing: A
The fact that the Steelers found a starting safety in his prime, who is a Pittsburgh native and Penn State alumnus, and signed him for a mere $5.5 million over a year, is a major steal. Brisker is about as Pittsburgh safety as they come, with a true presence as a box safety and the ability to play in the middle third as required.
Sebastian Joseph-Day signing: B
Anytime you can get an insurance policy for the recently re-upped Cam Heyward, you should do it. The defensive line depth in Pittsburgh wasn’t the best, but for the money and what SJD has brought to teams recently, it’s a solid move. Paying over $5 million a year for a backup is a little much, but you can never have enough solid defensive linemen.
Final Grade for Steelers 1st Wave of Free Agency: B
The punter move drags down the average a bit, but our final GPA for wave one of Steelers free agency was a 3.2, which equates to a B letter grade. If Cs get degrees, then perhaps Bs add to your win total come the end of the 2026 season.
That’s what the Steelers are banking on anyway.
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