Steelers check in at No. 14 in offseason power rankings

The Steelers have made multiple big roster moves this offseason.

No team has had a bigger roster turnover this offseason than the Pittsburgh Steelers. The headlines are all about the team moving on from quarterbacks Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph in favor of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

The combination of moves the Steelers have made helped land them at No. 14 on Touchdown Wire’s first offseason NFL power rankings. Here’s what they had to say about the ranking:

The Steelers have been the most active team when it comes to making massive moves, which is certainly a difference in what we have grown accustom to. Pittsburgh signed linebacker Patrick Queen from the hated Ravens, and they’ve been wheeling and dealing with trades, as well. They sent receiver Diontae Johnson to the Panthers and got cornerback Donte Jackson in return, as well as a sixth-round pick. They also signed quarterback Russell Wilson and traded for Justin Fields, sending Kenny Pickett to the Eagles in between. The Steelers won 10 games with bottom of the barrel quarterback play in 2023. They don’t need Wilson and/or Fields to be top 10 quarterbacks. If they are slightly below average, that’s still a massive upgrade over what they had in 2023.

The Steelers snuck into the playoffs last season thanks to a late-season push with Rudolph at quarterback. Pittsburgh is hoping all these changes will pay off with the first playoff win since 2016.

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Steelers acquire QB Justin Fields from the Bears

The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields after dealing Kenny Pickett to the Eagles

The AFC North is stacked with even more star power. Days after signing Russell Wilson, the Steelers are trading a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Chicago Bears for quarterback Justin Fields.

Pittsburgh is making the move a day after trading Kenny Pickett and a fourth-round pick in next month’s draft to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2024 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round selections.

Fields was expected to be on the move, with the Bears fielding trade inquiries about the former No. 11 overall pick. Chicago is widely expected to draft USC’s Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in April.

Fields has played all three of his NFL seasons for the Bears, throwing for 6,674 yards and 40 touchdowns.

He’ll now back up Wilson while taking a step back and continuing to learn as he prepares to be the Steelers quarterback of the future.

AFC North news: Steelers improving their roster thanks to Russell Wilson’s modest contract

Russell Wilson will cost the Steelers just $1.2 million this year, giving them room to improve the rest of the roster.

Quarterback Russell Wilson will cost the Pittsburgh Steelers the veteran minimum of $1.2 million next season, leaving room for the team to sign Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Queen to a $41 million deal this week.

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Wilson isn’t short on cash, however, because the Denver Broncos are still required to pay him $39 million in 2024 as part of the $242 million contract he signed two years ago.

Spending so little at quarterback has freed up Pittsburgh to splurge elsewhere. In addition to signing Queen, the Steelers have shipped wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for defensive back Donte Jackson and re-signed safety Miles Killebrew to a two-year, $6.5 million deal.

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The Steelers are rebuilding meticulously and frugally. The Ravens split the season series with Pittsburgh last season and, after their rivals’ additions this offseason, should expect very competitive matchups with them this fall. Wilson and the Steelers may make a deep playoff run in 2024 if they continue building on this success throughout the offseason.

Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen to sign a three-year, $41M deal with rival Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking Patrick Queen away from the Baltimore Ravens with a three-year, $41 million deal in free agency

According to ESPN’s Marcus Spears, Patrick Queen is following Geno Stone’s path, taking his talents to another AFC North city after agreeing to a 3-year, $41 million deal.

The running mate for Roquan Smith, Queen made his first Pro Bowl this season after logging 125 tackles (78 solos) and matching a career-high with six passes defended. He also added 3.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery for the best defense in the league.

Queen is the only NFL defender to have produced at least 400 tackles (445), ten sacks (13.5), and ten takeaways (four interceptions and six fumble recoveries) since entering the league in 2020.

He’ll pair with T.J. Watt to help stop the newest Ravens running back, Derrick Henry.

AFC North news: Steelers to sign QB Russell Wilson

Adam Schefter reports that the Ravens AFC North Rival Pittsburgh Steelers are signing Russell Wilson to a deal ahead of NFL Free Agency

The AFC North is ripe with solid quarterbacks, and the Steelers are set to add another big name to a division that already has Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Joe Burrow (Bengals), and Deshaun Watson (Browns).

Adam Schefter reports that Russell Wilson successfully traveled to Western Pennsylvania and will sign with the AFC North power.

The Broncos announced they released Wilson this week after trading two No. 1 picks and signing him to a five-year, $242.6 million deal before the 2022 season.

Denver went 11-19 with Wilson as the starter and failed to make the postseason.

Wilson’s release means the Broncos will take an $85 million salary cap hit in dead money over the next two seasons.

Pittsburgh can sign him to a team-friendly deal for the veteran minimum and continue adding weapons around him.

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AFC North news: Steelers to sign QB Russell Wilson

Adam Schefter reports that the Ravens AFC North Rival Pittsburgh Steelers are signing Russell Wilson to a deal ahead of NFL Free Agency

The AFC North is ripe with solid quarterbacks, and the Steelers are set to add another big name to a division that already has Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Joe Burrow (Bengals), and Deshaun Watson (Browns).

Adam Schefter reports that Russell Wilson successfully traveled to Western Pennsylvania and will sign with the AFC North power.

The Broncos announced they released Wilson this week after trading two No. 1 picks and signing him to a five-year, $242.6 million deal before the 2022 season.

Denver went 11-19 with Wilson as the starter and failed to make the postseason.

Wilson’s release means the Broncos will take an $85 million salary cap hit in dead money over the next two seasons.

Pittsburgh can sign him to a team-friendly deal for the veteran minimum and continue adding weapons around him.

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2024 NFL Draft: Could top WR prospects make Rashod Bateman expendable?

After three NFL seasons, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has produced just four touchdown receptions in 35 games played.

After three NFL seasons, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has produced just four touchdown receptions in 35 games played. Bateman’s 2021 four-year $12.5 million deal has amounted to little and the Ravens should consider drafting his successor.

Timm Hamm of Sports Illustrated claims Bateman needs a change of scenery and possibly. Bateman’s skillset is undeniable. He’s quick, agile, and lengthy, all critical components of a possession receiver at the NFL level. However, Bateman has made receptions on just 60% of his targets throughout his short career. This may hint towards a lack of chemistry between him and quarterback Lamar Jackson or Jackson’s penchant to throw the ball elsewhere.

Contrarily, wide receiver Zay Flowers made receptions on 71% of his targets last year, likely due to his work in the short passing game. Bateman’s attributes may be more suitable in a pass-first offense, but the Ravens need to focus on doing what they do best: running the football.

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Coach John Harbaugh continues to endorse Bateman, and his optimism is contagious, but Harbaugh needs to understand that optimism won’t compensate for the salary cap shortcomings the team must overcome.

With the endless talent available in this years’ NFL Draft, the Ravens should be be looking to shop Bateman to a team who needs a wide receiver. The Ravens need to commit to their strengths, and that’s running the football, not convincing fans that Bateman will be something he’s yet to prove himself capable of being.

Bengals ranked most likely to go from worst to first in division

Are the Bengals going worst to first?

The Cincinnati Bengals had a disappointing 2023 season riddled with injuries which ended with them finishing in last place in the AFC North despite being able to claw their way to a 9-8 record.

Now with the football season over, there’s nothing more the Bengals and their fans can do other than look forward to next season and hope next season goes better.

Jim Wyman of PFF looked at the last place teams from each division in the NFL and ranked which of them are most likely to go from worst to first in their respective divisions, and the Bengals were the No. 1 most likely to do so.

Here’s what he had to say about their chances:

The Bengals made history in 2023 by becoming the first team in the Super Bowl era to finish in last place in their division with a winning record. The Bengals accomplished this feat despite Joe Burrow missing the last seven games of the season due to a wrist injury. Jake Browning played well enough to keep the team afloat in his absence, but it wasn’t quite enough for a playoff berth. With a healthy Burrow, the Bengals should be right in the thick of things for the division title once again. The big question is what they do with Tee Higgins, who is set to hit free agency but is also a candidate for the franchise tag. Due to how much cap space the Bengals are projected to have this offseason, a new contract is doable if that’s the route they choose to go in.

A healthy Burrow will certainly make their chances at winning the division again much better, and even despite the strength of the AFC North, Wyman believes the Bengals have the talent to finish at the top again.

They were projected there to begin the 2023 season, and have a full offseason and a lot of cap space to improve the roster along with a healthy Burrow so it’s very possible the Bengals get back to where they were.

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AFC North watch: Steelers QB rumors, Browns stadium drama and more

Some big headlines from around the AFC North.

The Cincinnati Bengals, at least for now, don’t have a lot of news and buzz circulating around the team.

The same can’t be said for the other teams in the AFC North, though.

While the Bengals briefly had some news in regards to coaching staff changes during this quiet part of the schedule, it’s nothing compared to say, a budding quarterback controversy in Pittsburgh.

Those Steelers have questions about the future of the most important position in sports ahead of free agency and the draft. There’s also buzz around Cleveland and Baltimore with certain items, too.

With the Bengals mostly quiet, here’s a look at some AFC North news to know.

Bengals’ AFC North rivals suffer notable coaching setbacks

Every Bengals rival had to make notable changes to coaching lineups so far this offseason.

The Cincinnati Bengals might have lost offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, but they’re far from the only team in the AFC North losing key coaches.

In fact, the Bengals have started to look like big divisional winners in this regard.

The following critical coaches have left the AFC North:

Tack on the Steelers needing to make a change at offensive coordinator and each of the AFC North teams lost a key chunk of coaching staff.

The Bengals are a part of this, though the hope is that things go much more smoothly, considering they’ve groomed new offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher for the role over the last few seasons.

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