Pittsburgh Steelers

Eli Heidenreich

RB

The team roster and Heidenreich's player page both show 'RB/WR' as his position, reflecting uncertainty about his NFL future after a three-year run at Navy yielded 169 carries and 109 catches (for 3,151 yards and 23 TDs). A 4.44 40 at the combine confirmed that Heidenreich has NFL-caliber athleticism, but he's thin for a running back (6-feet, 198 pounds) and doesn't have much experience running routes from the perimeter. While there's always some chance the Steelers create a unique role in their offense for Heidenreich, the more likely reality for a seventh-round pick (230th overall) is that he'll need to show value on special teams and/or as the backup for a more conventional role (e.g., third-down back, slot receiver).

Daequan Hardy

CB

Hardy is now set to remain with the Steelers despite having previously been waived with an injury designation. As the 24-year-old will be forced to miss the entirety of the upcoming campaign, he will now shift his focus to getting healthy for the 2027 season.

Jaheim Bell

TE

The tight end spent time on the practice squads of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in 2025, though he never appeared in a regular-season game. Bell was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2024, catching two passes (on three targets) for 20 yards as a rookie.

Broderick Jones

OT

Jones would have been paid $19.1 million for 2027 if the Steelers had picked up the option, but instead his rookie contract will end after this coming season. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports that Pittsburgh's decision to decline the option was influenced by Jones' neck injury, which cut his season short early last year and may prevent him from being ready for training camp -- and potentially Week 1 of the regular season -- in 2026. When Jones has been healthy he's played well, and he started 37 of the 38 regular-season games in which he appeared over the past two campaigns.

Chris Boswell

PK

Boswell's deal matches the record-setting contract Brandon Aubrey earned with the Cowboys this offseason in terms of its $7 million annual average. That said, Boswell is 35 years old, and his contract could well have a potential 'out' before its conclusion in 2030. Boswell converted 27 of 32 field-goal attempts (84 percent) while suiting up for all 17 regular-season games 2025, in addition to 42 of 43 extra-point tries. He converted more than 90 percent of his field-goal tries in both 2023 and 2024.