Big takeaways from ESPN's projections for the Steelers in 2026

The 2026 offseason has been a wild one for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team is headed into the teeth of offseason workouts with a new head coach and multiple new starters. ESPN's Mike Clay put together his full projections for all 32 NFL teams, and we applaud him for undertaking such a daunting task.

Here are some of our biggest takeaways and make no mistake, some of these took us by surprise.

No 1,000-yard rusher

During his tenure with the Steelers, Najee Harris could always be counted on to get 1,000 rushing yards. A strong, consistent rushing attack is key for a team's success. For Clay, he sees a committee approach with new Steeler Rico Dowdle taking over the lead spot and finishing ahead of Jaylen Warren with 970 yards.

New receiver leads the team in catches

Last season, DK Metcalf did his best to carry the passing game but the addition of Michael Pittman Jr. should help. Clay had Pittman finishing best on the team with 90 receptions while Metcalf leads the team in receiving yards with a pedestrian 951 yards.

Pass rush stinks

Clay has no Steeler with 10 sacks and a dreadful season total of just 43. Pittsburgh's pass rush was bad last season and for Clay, no changes means no improvement.

What happened to T.J .Watt and Cameron Heyward?

Expanding on the pass rush situation, Clay had finishing with just 7.5 sacks and Cam Heyward with just 3.0. We've been banking on a bounce-back season from both guys after 2025, but Clay isn't convinced either player still has it in them.