Predicting the Steelers Week One starting offense after the NFL Draft
With the NFL draft in the books, we take a shot at predicting what the Pittsburgh Steelers starting offense will look like.
With the 2026 NFL draft in the books, we have a fairly clear idea of what the Pittsburgh Steelers roster will look like at the start of the season. We obviously expect there to be some additional moves, including the eventual addition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but the idea of any other spot getting a starter at this point in the offseason isn't likely. So with that, here's our post-draft predictions for the Steelers Week One starting offense.
Quarterback When Rodgers shows up, all will be forgiven and he will be the starter for better or worse. Aaron Rodgers Running back We expect Jaylen Warren to be named the starter with Rico Dowdle as the No. 2 but look for the two guys to split carries fairly evenly in an offense that wants to run the Football Jaylen Warren/Rico Dowdle Wide receiver We are listing three players here since running a third wide out is almost base offense in the NFL at this point.
This is one area where we can see a rookie, Germie Bernard, see a fairly heavy workload in the right matchups. DK Metcalf Michael Pittman Jr. Germie Bernard Tight end We are counting on 2026 to be a comeback year for Pat Freiermuth.
We aren't sure why Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith didn't use Freiermuth, but we are counting on new head coach Mike McCarthy being smarter than them. Yes, Darnell Washington will see the field plenty, and the Steelers will use two tight end sets, but Freiermuth will be the man this season. Pat Freiermuth Offensive line Here is where we expect the most significant amount of change this offseason.