Top five most valuable people for Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024

The Steelers have had another active offseason under general manager Omar Khan. Pittsburgh arguably upgraded nearly every position on its roster outside of wide receiver (which could still happen), giving the team the confidence it needs to end its seven-year playoff win drought.

Here are the franchise's five most valuable people for 2024:

5. Quarterbacks Russell Wilson/Justin Fields

The Steelers have been searching for their next franchise quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season.

They hoped that would be their first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Kenny Pickett, but that was far from the case. He threw just 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 25 games.

That's why Pittsburgh needed a fresh start at the position this offseason, so it signed Wilson in free agency and traded for Fields.

There's a realistic scenario in which neither is the long-term answer, but no matter who the starter is, they'll likely be better than the team had a year ago.

Wilson alone had double the number of touchdowns (26) and fewer interceptions (eight) than the Steelers' trio (Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph). And Fields continued to flash his upside, throwing for 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushing for 657 yards and four touchdowns.

4. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick has been one of the league's best ballhawks, registering four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 19 interceptions and four touchdowns in the first five years of his NFL career.

He did have a down year in 2023 with a career-low 64 tackles and three passes defensed while not generating a single turnover, but a big reason why was that he only played 10 games due to injuries.

The other reason was what Pittsburgh asked Fitzpatrick to do, and he believes the new free-agent addition of safety DeShon Elliott will help him return to playing his instinctual type of ball that earned him All-Pro honors in 2020 and 2022.

"Just let me play ball," Fitzpatrick said via the team's official website. "That's it. Minkah ball."

3. Wide receiver George Pickens

The only position at which the Steelers seem to have taken a step backward this offseason is wide receiver after trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in March.

That could change as rumors continue circulating about potentially trading for 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, but until that happens, it's Pickens' room to lead.

The 23-year-old set a career-high 63 catches for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns in 2023 and he's expected to take his game to another level this season with the departure of Johnson.

If Pickens does that, he'll earn a well-deserved payday in due time.

2. Head coach Mike Tomlin

Following Pittsburgh's fifth straight playoff loss last season, many questioned if it was time to move on from Tomlin.

The Steelers disagreed; however, they handed him a three-year extension to keep him with the team through the 2027 season.

While there is urgency to win a playoff game, Tomlin is still one of the best head coaches in the NFL. During his 17 years in Pittsburgh, he never had a losing season.

Tomlin has also proven to be an X-factor in recruiting players and could be a big reason why the Steelers soon land Aiyuk.

1. Linebacker T.J. Watt

Watt is arguably the best defensive player in the entire league. He dramatically impacts the outcome of games when he plays. Pittsburgh is 1-10 in games when Watt doesn't play.

The 29-year-old hasn't lost a step, either. He was snubbed of his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year award last season after registering a league-leading 19 sacks and 68 tackles, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception and eight passes defensed.

Watt didn't even show up to the NFL Honors ceremony after he heard that he didn't win his second DPOY. This means he's likely entering the 2024 season with a vengeance and will continue to outplay the four-year, $112 million contract extension he signed in 2021.