Alright, yinz. Brianna Kowalski-Denton here, live from the Strip District, where the smell of pierogies and Wholey's fish is already in the air, and, yeah, the Terrible Towels are already waving like it’s Sunday. Look, I’ve been over on Carson Street, talking to folks, and the chatter ain’t exactly lighting up the South Side. These free agency moves? Jack Driscoll, a one-year deal for an offensive tackle. Cameron Johnston, a punter, also a one-year deal. What are we doing here, Pittsburgh Steelers? Are we just… filling out the roster? This ain't no rebuild, and it sure as heck ain't going all-in. This feels like a team that’s a little too comfortable with being "pretty good." We went 10-7 last year, a playoff team, sure, but what does signing a backup tackle and a punter tell me about our ambitions? It tells me we’re still stuck in neutral, just like traffic on the Fort Pitt Bridge on a Friday afternoon.
Honestly, the most excitement yinz are gonna find about these signings is if you’re particularly nebby about special teams or offensive line depth. Nobody’s running down to Primanti Brothers on the North Shore to celebrate a punter. What the Pittsburgh Steelers still need is obvious, and it’s been obvious since Ben Roethlisberger hung up his cleats. We need a franchise quarterback. We’re still searching, still hoping, and these moves do absolutely nothing to address that. We’re in a division with the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Cleveland Browns, all with established or ascending quarterback play. You gotta swing for the fences, not just put down a bunt. My expectations for next season? Look, I'm a Steelers fan. I always expect greatness, but these moves don’t move the needle one bit towards a Super Bowl. We need to be targeting big names, difference-makers, not just depth pieces. This isn't the '70s Steel Curtain, this isn't the Cowher era, where every move felt like it was building toward something legendary.
From Bloomfield to Acrisure — yinz ready? It's Sunday in Pittsburgh.