Steelers 2025 NFL free agency targets after playoff loss to Ravens

Heading into the 2025 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t know who their starting quarterback will be. They may not even be sure of the head coach. However, here are the Steelers’ 2025 NFL free agency targets after the playoff loss to the Ravens.

Pittsburgh lost its last four regular season games and then faded out of the playoffs without much more than a whimper with a 28-14 setback against Baltimore.

Throughout the season, the Steelers seemed to be lacking in certain areas. Some of those problems could be shored up with wise use of the free agency market.

Bengals WR Tee Higgins high on Steelers’ list

The Steelers won’t be the only team chasing Higgins after his performance in 2024. He racked up 911 yards receiving with 10 touchdowns in 12 games despite playing second fiddle to Ja’Marr Chase. As a lead dog in 2025, Higgins might put up extraordinary numbers.

It may not be easy for the Steelers to get Higgins. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is pushing hard for Higgins to stay in Cincinnati, according to espn.com.

“You feel his presence when he is out there,” Burrow said of Higgins. “You feel how it affects the defense. You feel how it affects the defensive coordinator’s calls. Even if he’s not super productive on the night, teams have to worry about him and feel his presence. The defense is worried about him, and you feel that.”

But Higgins left the door open for the possibility of leaving.

“Like y’all said, this could be my last season (with the Bengals), so I definitely appreciated it, for sure,” Higgins said. “I love those guys to death.”

Other receivers on the radar include Chris Godwin of the Buccaneers and Stefon Diggs of the Texans. However, both of those guys are coming off serious injuries. And they both have some age on their bodies.

Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield said good things about Godwin after his injury, according to nbcsports.com via yahoo.com.

“Chris is an unbelievable veteran presence,” Mayfield said. “Obviously, consistent on the field play, but what he does goes throughout the whole building. Goes out of his way to teach the young guys and bring them under his wing. He’s somebody that anybody in the NFL would want on your team.”

Lions DL Levi Onwuzurike could bolster front

He made 10 regular season starts for the Lions, recording 1.5 sacks and 28 tackles. Onwuzurike proved effective against both the rund and the pass, and showed versatility. He’s 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, not huge for a defensive lineman. But his quickness allows him to cause problems, and the 2021 second-round NFL Draft pick should have his best football in front of him.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Onwuzurike improved his physique for the 2024 season, according to the Lions’ YouTube page via heavy.com.

“He came in, and he clearly looked better,” Campbell said. “He looked healthy. He’s big. He’s strong, and then training camp, with pads, whatever this has been, 30 days. Hard-heavy work. Live days, you name it. There’s no indication that this is not holding up. He looks just as strong and powerful as ever, and so I think it’s here to stay. “Nothing is going to tell me that it’s not, and that’s really been the hold back is his body. Trusting his body.”

The Steelers could also look at Eagles’ defensive tackle Milton Williams, who stepped up with his best season in 2024. Also, Osa Odighizuwa of the Dallas Cowboys could provide a boost if the Steelers move in that direction.

Vikings QB Sam Darnold might be a longshot target

After Darnold’s meltdown in the playoffs, the Steelers might not want to sink free-agent dollars into him.

But there would be debate about whether Darnold would be any better than Justin Fields, who is already in the house. Making things tougher on looking Darnold’s way is the way Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell distanced himself from him, according to nbcsports.com.

“I just want to say it’s very important we all think about Sam’s body of work,” O’Connell said. “What he was able to do this year, when not many people thought he would be able to lead a team to 14 wins. It did not work out in the end, and I think Sam would be the first one to tell you, could he have played better tonight? I’m sure he would tell you he could have. Could I have coached better? I’m positive I could have.

“Far too many negatives (for the offense). Really, over the last two weeks, too many negative plays that set you behind.”

Bengals CB Mike Hilton could return

The Steelers allowed Hilton to leave via free agency after the 2020 season. He has provided good work for the Bengals over the last four years. That includes this year even though the Bengals defense as a whole played poorly.

Pittsburgh hasn’t been very good at slot corner in recent seasons.

Overall, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said the team needs some help to get things going in the right direction, according to espn.com.

“I don’t know that I’m ready to be overly optimistic or sell optimism to you, either,” Tomlin said. “I’m just acknowledging what transpired and what has to happen and what is beginning to happen. And acknowledging the complexity and the amount of work that’s ahead of us.

“Certainly feel capable, but definitely don’t feel in the mood for optimism or the selling of optimism. I don’t know that that’s appropriate.”

Tomlin said change is coming.

“Although we’ve had similar results, rest assured that we’re not doing the same things and hoping for a different result,” he said. “We have adapted. We have altered our approach and we will continue because we’re not getting what we seek — and that’s the confetti game, is to be world champs.

“Our goals are really clear. It’s also really clear that we’re falling short of it, and we’re falling short of it in a consistent way. We’re still going to be open to adapting.”