It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:
- Early preview of the Ravens’ most competitive positional battles (Baltimore Beatdown)
- Bengals 53-man roster projection (Cincy Jungle)
- Expectations for Browns in 2026 are too low (Dawgs by Nature)
Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion:
Dunker brought joy to his hometown
(From Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley): One week before Gennings Dunker’s life changed forever, when he was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Steelers, he was watching from afar an event that could have changed his hometown forever.
On Friday, April 17, what was categorized as a strong EF2 tornado caused
significant damage to Lena, Illinois, where he grew up. Winds up to 130 miles an hour tore through the area, hitting an 8.5-mile-long stretch where trees were uprooted, homes lost roofs and several homes experienced partial wall collapse.
A brief but inspiring story from Steelers.com about how Dunker supported his tornado-struck hometown after he was drafted.
McCarthy’s refreshing approach to offense
(From DK Pittsburgh Sports’ Chris Halicke): Lack of details on the offensive side of the ball isn’t foreign to the Steelers, even in recent years. While Arthur Smith cleaned that up during his two years as offensive coordinator, the Matt Canada years were rife with a lack of details and lack of intent.
Under McCarthy, that surely won’t be the case. With his vast experience in running his own version of the West Coast offense, there will be more emphasis on the quarterback position than ever. To Metcalf’s point, we’ll also see more detailed route concepts to put the quarterback and pass catcher in rhythm on a more consistent basis.
Sure, it might be too early to have concrete optimism that the 2026 Steelers offense will be leaps and bounds better than it was under Arthur Smith, but one thing is for sure — it’s different seeing Pittsburgh finally under the leadership of an offensive-minded head coach. And gauging from quotes from OTAs, the players are noticing it as well.
Payton Wilson seems ready to lead middle of Steelers defense
(From TribLive’s Chris Adamski): There are signs, though, that the new coaching staff could be inclined to turn to the 6-foot-4, 242-pound Wilson more often.
Start with how free agency came and went in March without the Steelers signing an inside linebacker. Then in April — even after entering the draft with more selections than any other team — the Steelers used 10 picks without taking an inside linebacker.
Payton Wilson might be the most forgotten Steelers starter this offseason, but it’s fair to expect he’ll once again have a big role with Pittsburgh in 2026. Wilson is still chasing after a true breakout season after a 2025 that was marked by many blemishes in the team’s middle of the field defense. Still, he’s a hyper-athletic 26-year-old playing a complicated defensive role — there’s still plenty of time to improve.
3 Reasons Why Steelers Offense Will Improve in 2026
(From Steelers Wire’s Reece Comfort): Reason: #1: A Much Stronger Supporting Cast
Having D.K. Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., and Germie Bernard as your starting wideouts is a night-and-day difference from last year’s, with just a bunch of backup-level pass catchers in Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Adam Thielen, and Scotty Miller. All three of them can do different things individually underneath, intermediate, and deep downfield. If anything, this puts the Steelers near, if not already within, the top half of teams at the wide receiver position. Despite being 42 years old, Aaron Rodgers has plenty to work with heading into year two in Pittsburgh.
As the Steelers still lack a long term answer at quarterback, expectations have understandably been lowered regarding the team’s Super Bowl chances this season. But the overall talent of the roster does seem to be flying under the radar in some circles. On paper, at least, the team looks to be greatly improved in some areas in 2026.
Batko adds to Steelers content efforts
(From Steelers.com’s Brian Batko): To be able to help bring the stories of the Steelers to life for those who build their Sundays, their fall seasons, maybe even their entire calendars around this team will be a lot of fun. There are so many of them to be told, so many journeys to share. Every player and coach has one.
From minicamp to training camp, from the preseason to the regular season, to the postseason and beyond, I’ll be there. You’ll see my writing in this space, hear me on Steelers Nation Radio and more. Dale Lolley left big shoes to fill, no doubt.
Some meta media news here. Batko has long been one of my favorite reads on the Steelers beat, and now he’ll be moving from the Post-Gazette to Steelers.com. Needless to say, his work will remain a mainstay in these links articles.
5 Players Who Could Be Headed Into Final Season With Steelers
(From SI’s Jack Markowski): Patrick Queen
Queen is heading into the final season of a three-year contract worth $41 million he signed with the Steelers as a free agent ahead of the 2024 campaign.
He’s been hot and cold for the team, leading them in tackles during his first season with 129, resulting in a Pro Bowl nod. At the same time, he was also in the middle of a defense that broke down at the end of the year and finished on a five-game losing streak, including the playoffs.
Queen, according to Pro Football Focus, also paced the NFL in missed tackles with 32 in 2025.
I’ve been a bigger Patrick Queen defender than most over the course of his Steelers career, but there’s no denying he’s been a part of some of the team’s tackling, coverage, and communication issues over the last few seasons. Plus, his status as one of the league’s top-10 highest-paid off-ball linebackers has led to him, understandably, facing higher expectations.
Is 2026 Patrick Queen’s last season with the Steelers?
Queen is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027, and while a lot could change as the 2026 season has yet to start, the writing appears to be on the wall regarding his Steelers career.
Credible reports linked the Steelers and Queen to a potential trade with Cowboys before the draft, and even though it didn’t go through, it signaled that Pittsburgh was at least open to moving on from its most-played defender.
After avoiding the linebacker position in the 2026 offseason (which could certainly be a vote of confidence), the Steelers are primed to invest some draft capital in the position in 2027. Plus, while Queen likely won’t summon a massive market, big contracts for veteran linebackers don’t always age well (see: Roquan Smith) while the Steelers have far more pressing extensions to nail down (see: Joey Porter Jr.).
However, the development of Payton Wilson is also worth keeping an eye on in regards to Queen. The Steelers hoped Wilson could become an every-down linebacker in 2025, but he didn’t rise to the challenge. But if he does manage to take that step forward, he’ll be a younger option who can fill the sideline-to-sideline role — making it easier to push Queen out the door.
Either way, most signs point to 2026 being No. 6’s last season in the black and gold.
Do you think Patrick Queen will re-sign with the Steelers eventually? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!
