Tag: 2025

PFF grades of Packers free agent class in 2025

Taking a closer look at the 2024 season from the Packers 2025 free agent class.

The Green Bay Packers have 18 players entering free agency with expiring contracts in 2025. While the team doesn’t have a hugely important player with an expiring deal, several starters and contributors are about to enter free agency.

How did the 2024 look for the Packers’ free agents? Let’s take a closer look.

Here are the PFF grades and relevant stats from the Packers’ 2025 free agent class:

C Josh Myers

PFF grade: 54.2
Rank among centers: 41/43

Myers has graded out as one of the NFL’s worst centers during all four of his seasons as a starter. While giving up just one sack in 2024, Myers allowed a career-high 31 pressures, which ranked as the third-most among centers. And pass-blocking is his strongest area — his run-blocking grade finished as the second worst among centers. Myers’ career high grade at PFF is only 60.4. The 2021 second rounder appears to be the definition of a replacement-level player.

LB Isaiah McDuffie

PFF grade: 55.4
Rank among linebackers: 47/53 (at least 600 snaps played)

McDuffie played over 700 defensive snaps for the Packers at linebacker in 2024. He struggled mightily in coverage, allowing 84.4 percent completions and five touchdown passes on targets into his coverage. His 129.6 passer rating allowed in coverage ranked as the second worst among linebackers. McDuffie produced 28 stops, or a tackle creating an offensive failure, but that was tied for the fifth least among linebackers with at least 600 snaps. If you can’t consistently cover or create disruptive plays, it’s tough to survive at linebacker in today’s NFL.

CB Eric Stokes

PFF grade: 61.3
Rank among cornerbacks: 75/128

Stokes was one of only five cornerbacks to play at least 250 snaps and fail to create a pass breakup. He gave up only 33 completions against his coverage, but he allowed three touchdown passes and a passer rating of 96.7. His run defense grade ranked 114th out of 128 qualifying cornerbacks, and he produced only seven stops. A solid stretch of play between November and December wasn’t enough to save another disappointing season from the 2021 first-round pick.

LB Eric Wilson

PFF grade: 64.3
Rank among linebackers: 43/90 (at least 250 snaps played)

Wilson missed 11 tackles and wasn’t an effective player in coverage (allowed completions on 82.9 percent of targets), but he went supernova against the Colts and Texans early in the season and was once again a rock-solid special teams player. Wilson created 10 total special teams tackles (solo and assists) and didn’t have a penalty. In terms of backup linebackers, Wilson is a veteran asset.

DL TJ Slaton

PFF grade: 43.0
Rank among defensive linemen: 130/145

Slaton led all defensive linemen in ESPN’s run stop win rate, suggesting a dominant season against the run, and the Packers effectiveness stopping the run with Slaton on the field backs up ESPN’s claim. But PFF did not agree. Slaton finished with one of the worst run defense grades at the position, and a 13.5 missed tackle rate meant a poor tackle grade. Slaton finished with only one sack and two quarterback hits, highlighting his limitations as a pass-rusher. But PFF’s overall grade for Slaton doesn’t seem to match up with his specific value as a run stopper and block eater.

P Daniel Whelan (exclusive rights)

PFF grade: 75.4
Rank among punters: 14/34

A poor finish to the season sabotaged a strong year overall. Whelan finished 27th in net punting at 40.4 yards, which was damaged significantly by the 93-yard punt return for a touchdown in the season finale. Whelan allowed only 37.9 percent of his punts to be returned, which ranked seventh best, and his 4.53-second average hang time ranked third. He will return to Green Bay as an ascending young punter in 2025.

K Brandon McManus

PFF grade: 82.1
Rank among kickers: 12/39

Counting the postseason, McManus connected on 21 of 23 field goals and all 31 extra points. His field goal percentage of 91.3 ended up ranking eighth among kickers. He also made all three field goals over 50 yards. The Packers want him back.

RB Emanuel Wilson (exclusive rights)

PFF grade: 82.9
Rank among running backs: 12/53

Wilson was excellent. He forced 28 missed tackles on only 106 attempts, averaged 4.8 yards per carry, had 13 runs of 10 or more yards and caught 12 of 15 targets. He also didn’t fumble. Wilson will return with a chance to be the primary backup behind Josh Jacobs again in 2025.

WR Bo Melton (exclusive rights)

PFF grade: 63.2
Rank among wide receivers: 115/198

Melton caught only nine of 19 targets and averaged just 0.99 yards per route run, committed two penalties and was targeted twice on interceptions. He did haul in four of five contested targets, and he rushed eight times for 54 yards.

DE Arron Mosby (exclusive rights)

PFF grade: 62.5
Rank among edge rushers: 96/211

Mosby produced 10 pressures, made four stops and was solid against the run (67.5 grade) while playing 150 total snaps. He was also on the field for 258 special teams snaps, giving him potential as an edge rusher and value for Rich Bisaccia entering 2025.

S Zayne Anderson (exclusive rights)

PFF grade: 80.8
Rank among safeties: 12/170

Anderson played only 122 snaps at safety, but he was effective, logging five tackles, an interception and a pass-breakup. The career special teamer didn’t allow a single completion into his coverage. He also led the team with 10 solo tackles on special teams. While not a preferred starter at safety, Anderson proved his value covering kicks and punts and as a reliable backup option.

CB Corey Ballentine

PFF grade: 53.5
Rank among cornerbacks: 175/223

He played 75 snaps at cornerback and allowed four completions for 56 yards and a touchdown. On special teams, Ballentine played over 200 snaps and finished with four tackles and a solid 70.9 grade.

TE John FitzPatrick (restricted)

PFF grade: 55.1
Rank among tight ends: 73/120

FitzPatrick caught one pass for two yards but was mostly used as a run blocker. He played 60 snaps on special teams. His noteworthy play was a holding penalty on a kickoff in the wildcard loss in Philadelphia.

OL Kadeem Telfort (exclusive rights)

PFF grade: 48.9
Rank among offensive linemen: 268/312

His final grade was torpedoed by the finish in Philadelphia. Telfort allowed three total pressures and committed a penalty over 62 total snaps at left and right guard across five games.

LT Andre Dillard

PFF grade: 72.7
Rank among offensive tackles: N/A

Dillard played only 13 total snaps (nine at left tackle, four at right tackle) in blowout wins over the 49ers and Saints.

CB Robert Rochell

PFF grade: 60.0
Rank among cornerbacks: N/A

Rochell played only one snap from scrimmage in 2024. He struggled on special teams, committing two penalties and registering just two tackles across 124 snaps.

TE Tyler Davis

PFF grade: N/A
Rank among tight ends: N/A

Davis was placed on season-ending injured reserve in August and did not play in 2024.

RB A.J. Dillon

PFF grade: N/A
Rank among running backs: N/A

Dillon was placed on season-ending injured reserve in August and did not play in 2024.

Steelers receive bad news ahead of 2025 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t have any compensatory picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, limiting their chances to add another hidden gem.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have proven themselves adept at selecting elite talent with compensatory picks in the NFL Draft—and it has now been confirmed that they will receive none of these selections.

Some of the biggest home-run hits from the compensatory picks made by the Pittsburgh Steelers include legends like Hines Ward, elite playmakers like RB James Conner and OLB Alex Highsmith, and rising stars like WR Calvin Austin III. It is nothing short of bad news that the Steel City will have no opportunity to add to this list in 2025.

While the compensatory pick system is complicated, it can typically be summed up by determining whether a team lost more free agents than they signed in an offseason—which the Pittsburgh Steelers did not in 2024.

While Pittsburgh’s 2024 NFL Draft class proved that GM Omar Khan and the Steelers’ front office are more than capable of finding elite talent throughout all seven rounds, it is troubling that the team will be without any compensatory picks heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.

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Steelers insider predicts RB Najee Harris 2025 free agency price tag

Steelers insider Gerry Dulac predicts Najee Harris could demand a three-year, $25-30 million contract. Will Pittsburgh re-sign him?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have several question marks surrounding key players leaving their roster in 2025 free agency. One of the biggest decisions to make will be whether to re-sign RB Najee Harris, who successfully made it four straight seasons with 1,000 rushing yards to conclude 2024.

Steelers insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was asked during his chat on Wednesday what Harris may demand in free agency. While the situation is always changing, Dulac reluctantly predicted that Harris could demand a three-year contract worth upwards of $25 to $30 million.

Dulac finished off answering the question with a powerful compliment for Harris, stating:

“He is one of only 14 players to begin their career with four 1,000-yard seasons. What’s the price tag on that?”

If Harris’ contract averages $10 million a year, the Pittsburgh Steelers may be wise to re-sign the cheaper option—RB Jaylen Warren—while also drafting a stud RB in the early rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

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Steelers QB Russell Wilson shuts down OC Arthur Smith conflict rumors

Russell Wilson dismissed the Arthur Smith-conflict rumors, making it clear where he stands on their working relationship with the Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans were in for a treat on Wednesday, as Pat McAfee brought Russell Wilson onto his show to answer questions about his career so far, the 2024 season, and his aspirations for 2025 and beyond.

However, the hard-hitting questions came after McAfee asked Wilson to shed light on a rumored ‘beef’ with OC Arthur Smith that has been making waves online.

Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers writer Mark Kaboly had reported on the strained working relationship between Wilson and Smith, and McAfee made his inquiries known early:

“You like Arthur? Hey, there are reports that you hate him.”

Wilson cleared the air, chuckling:

“Anytime you lose a game or two, or whatever goes on, people try to tear things down. I think Arthur is a great coach. Obviously, he’s been a head coach. We love trying to find ways to compete every day and just get better.”

 

The “game or two” in question is a complete undersell from Wilson, as the Steelers lost five straight to end the 2024 season, but it is promising that the rumors surrounding Smith and Wilson’s relationship were nothing more than that.

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Steelers QB Russell Wilson on where he wants to play, 2025 and beyond

Russell Wilson opened up about his long-term plans and where he envisions the next chapter of his career, including 2025 and beyond.

With rumors swirling about who will remain the starting QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, it is difficult to determine whether the team will move forward with the younger Justin Fields or the aging Russell Wilson.

Wilson had alluded to the ‘plan’ being to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, but insider Gerry Dulac made it known that this original plan may be out the window—in favor of a new plan involving Fields as the signal-caller.

Little has been confirmed, but in the latest update, Wilson once again made his intentions clear, as well as his career aspirations, on The Pat McAfee Show:

“Going into Pittsburgh, it was a special place for me. Hopefully, I get to play there a lot longer.”

Wilson had previously stated that he hopes to retire with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his desire at 36 years old to remain with the Black and Gold only adds more fuel to the proverbial 2025 QB fire.

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Will Steelers make the ‘Diontae Johnson mistake’ with George Pickens?

The Steelers traded away Diontae Johnson without a real backup plan. Could they make the same mistake with George Pickens in 2025?

Six awful words describe the Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver woes that reared their ugly head in 2024: “Be careful what you wish for.”

No one will argue that the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Diontae Johnson trade that brought CB Donte Jackson from the Carolina Panthers this past offseason—especially after Johnson’s meltdown with three NFL teams since. However, the Steelers traded away their WR 1-B with little backup plan in place, and they may be poised to do the same with WR George Pickens in the 2025 offseason.

Pickens has proven himself to be truly electrifying on the field, but his immature antics have created huge distractions for the Pittsburgh Steelers—just as Johnson did.

If the Steelers trade away Pickens in 2025, Pittsburgh would need to hit a home run in free agency and the draft—but history isn’t on their side.

When Antonio Brown left the Steelers in 2019, Pittsburgh miserably attempted to fill the void with Donte Moncrief. Little changed when Johnson left in 2024, as the Steelers turned to Van Jefferson—and many fans know how that turned out.

Here’s to hoping the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t make any rash decisions regarding Pickens and avoid treating him like Johnson.

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Who would win Steelers more games in 2025, Justin Fields or Russell Wilson?

With both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields hitting free agency, the Steelers must decide who gives them the best chance to win in 2025.

Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are scheduled to hit free agency in the coming months, and while the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to re-sign one of their QBs, which one would prove to be the correct choice?

Fields began the 2024 season as the starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers due to Wilson’s calf injury, and he made the most of his opportunity—winning four of his six starts. Fields ultimately posted the highest completion percentage of his career in 2024, completing 65.8% of his passes, along with a 93.3 passer rating—the best of his four-year career.

Wilson took over as the starter in Week 7 against the New York Jets and never looked back—winning six of his first seven starts for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, he then lost the next five Steelers contests, including a playoff loss to the Ravens.

Fans have been calling for a change at quarterback over the past month, which begs the question: which one of these two QBs would theoretically win more games for the Black and Gold in 2025?

Cast your vote below on who you believe would win more games for the Steelers—the ‘moon ball’-throwing Wilson or the ever-athletic Fields.

PollMaker

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Former Steelers legendary QB Ben Roethlisberger shares his opinion on potential George Pickens trade

George Pickens’ 2024 drama sparks debate on the Steelers’ future plans, with Ben Roethlisberger weighing in on potential trade scenarios.

With George Pickens’ contract set to expire in 2026, many are wondering what the future could hold for the Steelers receiver.

On his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger shared his opinion on how to handle the Pickens situation:

“You either sign him to a long-term deal and give him a bunch of money. You let him play this year—you franchise him—then he’s gone, so you have two years with him. You trade him, because right now is the only time that he’s worth anything. Next year he’s on his last deal anyway.”

However, there would be a massive problem at the WR1 and WR2 positions if this took place, as explained by Big Ben:

“Now the issue with trading him is you don’t have a number two right now. So if you get rid of your number one, now you don’t have a one [WR1] or a two [WR2].”

The former Steelers QB concluded this hypothetical trade scenario by stating that the team would then need to sign a skilled veteran receiver as well as draft a top receiver in the 2025 NFL draft.

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Is there more to Justin Fields’ media absence and his Steelers future?

Justin Fields’ media absence raises questions about his Steelers future as the team faces key decisions ahead of the 2025 season.

There may be more than meets the eye regarding Steelers QB Justin Fields and his polite refusal to meet with media reporters this past Monday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers organization has been bombarded with questions about how the 2024 season ended, how the team will address several key players set to hit free agency in the coming months, and the team’s direction heading into 2025.

Steelers QB Russell Wilson hinted at what the team’s 2025 direction at signal-caller may look like, saying this about re-signing and playing with the Steelers for one more season: “That’s the plan.”

Was Fields part of this ‘plan’? And if he wasn’t, does the athletic QB see the writing on the wall regarding his future with the team?

HC Mike Tomlin may have been trying to do damage control over the situation when he stated on Tuesday that Fields had shown enough growth to be considered for the 2025 starting nod.

What do you all think about the situation? Is Fields’ lack of interest in speaking with reporters as simple as that, or does he truly envision his NFL future elsewhere?

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Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth recreate Ben Roethlisberger and Maurkice Pouncey iconic photograph

Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth share an emotional moment reminiscent of the iconic Roethlisberger-Pouncey photo after the Wild-Card loss.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are magical in the sense that they can capture the full range of emotions from their Black and Gold faithful—especially when it pertains to fan-favorite players leaving the Steel City.

One of the most iconic Pittsburgh photographs of two teammates spending their final moments on the field together dates back to January 10, 2021: the day Steelers legends C Maurkice Pouncey and Ben Roethlisberger played their last snap together.

The Steelers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Cleveland Browns, and the two shared an emotional moment, forever captured by the photograph seen below:

Fans hoping for some time between similarly emotional moments might have their hearts broken, as RB Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth shared a similar heart-to-heart with one another following the Wild-Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

While Freiermuth is under contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers through the 2028 season, Harris is scheduled to hit free agency in 2025—making an impending split between these draft classmates and close friends seem likely.

Their moment is eerily similar to what Roethlisberger and Pouncey experienced: from the Wild-Card loss to an AFC North rival, to their potential final game together, and to the photo, as seen below with Harris and Freiermuth:

If Harris truly leaves this offseason, I think I speak for every Steelers fan when I say: thank you, Najee, for an incredible four years.

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