Mar 09, 2026
3 min read
Isaac Seumalo could be a big fish in 2026 free agency.
The NFL's legal blackout period is right around the corner on March 9, but the Steelers have yet to re-sign their players to hit the open market.It's almost a guarantee that someone will return in the coming days, but there may not be as much mutual interest between Pittsburgh and its free agents as many think.
Where do the Steelers go in this year's free agent class?
Isaac Seumalo could be a big fish in 2026 free agency.
However, it's likely that many of the team's top free agents are interested in testing the market before agreeing to return to Pittsburgh.How they compare to other players at their position in this year's free agent class could make a difference of millions of dollars.
With that in mind, I thought I'd take a look at how the Steelers' 2026 free agents look on some of the top free agent lists heading into the new league year:
Isaac Seumalo (average score: 24; NFL.com OG4; ESPN OG1; PFF OG1)
A good portion of the Steelers fan base seems ready to move on from Seumalo.This could be both good and bad.
On the one hand, Seumalo ranks incredibly high among this year's free agent linebacker class — it won't be easy to replace him with a lineman of the same caliber.However, if NFL teams truly see Seumal as a top-three guard, you could easily argue that it's not worth paying a premium for a solid but unspectacular 2025 starter.
Aaron Rodgers (Average rating: 43; NFL.com QB4; ESPN QB3; PFF QB3)
To most, Rodgers ranks below Malik Willis and Kyle Murray in the quarterback market, and fits in on the same level as Kirk Cousins and Geno Smith.It remains to be seen which teams Rodgers will even commit to in 2026.
It's arguable that Rodgers is still the 32nd best quarterback in the NFL.But at this point in his career, he is no longer perfect.
Kenneth Gainwell (Rank: 58; NFL.com RB3; ESPN RB4; PFF RB8)
The national media seems to be buying into Gainwell's breakout season in 2025, placing him high in a fairly strong free agent class of 2026. While Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne are undoubtedly RB1-2, Gainwell gets the nod with his recent results doing well against names like Tyler Allgeier, Rico Dowdle, and Rachaad White.
Even if the NFL considers Gainwell the third-best running back option this offseason, that doesn't guarantee him a big contract or a shot at the de facto RB1 gig.The Steelers still have a good chance of keeping him around.
Outside the consensus top 100
- WR Calvin Austin III (WR10 kwa NFL.com, WR16 as PFF)
- CB James Pear (CB15 for PFF)
- S Jabrill Peppers (S3 for PFF)
- S Chuck Clark (S15 for PFF)
- S Kyle Dugger (S24 ee PFF)
- LB Cole Holcomb（PFF 的 LB24）
This is where PFF's grades can get a little fun.Peppers is great against his cap hit in 2025, but not many would consider him the third safety on the free agent market.
Pierre is probably the biggest question mark of this group.As of 2025, he was an elite player with 14 games played and 5 starts, but he had a breakout season in the latter half of his career and is now 29 years old.It will be interesting to see what kind of market he attracts with a limited sample size and already approaching 30 years old.
