Three Steelers Players Who Could Lose Their Job on Draft Night
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers aim to draft several impact players at the 2026 NFL Draft. The organization is armed with 12 picks in said draft, including five choices over the first 100 selections.
That's great news for the Steelers and the organization, as they have needs at multiple positions.
It's not such great news for a trio of Steelers already on the roster. If the draft falls the way the team hopes and they land multiple players with starting potential and upside, it could spell the end of these three players in Pittsburgh.
Broderick Jones
Things are already tenuous at best for the Steelers' left tackle and 2023 first-round pick, Broderick Jones. Unfortunately for him, a neck injury that took him out of the end of the 2025 season continues to linger. The franchise is hopeful he will recover and be back in time to reclaim his starting role, but that might not be an option.
There are several exciting tackles available in the first three rounds, and it wouldn't be a shock to see the Steelers take one. If they opt for a left tackle in the first round, like Clemson's Blake Miller or Spencer Fano from Utah, it sends a clear message that they want to move in a new direction.
Even if they waited until Rounds 2 and 3 and focused on players like Caleb Tiernan out of Northwestern or Gennings Dunker from Iowa, it means that Jones's job is as good as gone in 2026.
Patrick Queen/Payton Wilson
Middle linebacker remains a question mark for the Steelers, including the short- and long-term status of starter Patrick Queen. He's in the final year of his deal, and there has been no movement on any type of extension. He makes a whopping $17 million in 2026, but if the Steelers are able to land a top player like Georgia's C.J. Allen, Texas's Anthony Hill Jr. or Cincinnati's Jake Golday, it means they want a new green dot in the middle of their lineup.
If the team takes Hill Jr. or a player like Pittsburgh's Kyle Louis, it might mean the player being left behind is fellow starter Payton Wilson. Hill Jr. and Louis are both uber-athletic and could be significant upgrades in pass coverage.
Jalen Ramsey
A former Super Bowl winner and All-Pro defensive back, Jalen Ramsey is at a crossroads. The veteran had a trying first season in Pittsburgh after being asked to play both cornerback and safety at different times during the year.
The reality is he's highly paid, but his skills are declining. He's no longer a shutdown cornerback with elite footspeed, but are the Steelers ready to give up?
Their draft plans will reveal that. Look at a player like Arizona's Treydan Stukes, who the team recently brought in for a visit. He's a nickel cornerback and safety mixed into one, and he's a player new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham might really covet.
If the Steelers add early to their secondary, Ramsey's job is in jeopardy. Joey Porter Jr. and Jamel Dean have the starting cornerback slots secured, while Jaquan Brisker and DeShon Elliott will patrol the safety positions. That leaves Ramsey to work exclusively as a slot corner or rotational piece, and either way, he's been stripped of his role and demoted.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/steelers/onsi as Three Steelers Players Who Could Lose Their Job on Draft Night.
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 5:00 AM.