Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have found their next head coach in Mike McCarthy, planning for the offseason is officially underway.
Though McCarthy and his new staff can’t make any official roster moves until free agency begins on March 11 and then the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, preparations will begin well before that when it comes to roster assembly — and the two events will undoubtedly affect one another.
As for free agency, the Steelers have the ninth-most cap space in the league at $44.943 million under the cap. They’ll also draft No. 21 overall when the first round of the draft kicks off.
With McCarthy now at the helm, no one is quite sure what direction Pittsburgh will take in free agency or the draft. But NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund has made a bold prediction on who she believes the Steelers will land in April.
Steelers Predicted To Land Notre Dame Star
Most mock drafts have the Steelers going with an offensive player, and it’s usually a wide receiver — a position of clear need for the team.
Frelund also went offense, but it wasn’t wide receiver. It wasn’t even quarterback. Instead, she projected the Steelers to select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
“Love’s potential impact in both the pass and run game is very high — like Bijan Robinson levels,” Frelund wrote. “For him to have a successful rookie season (and one that looks something like Bijan’s impressive 2025 campaign), he’ll need a strong O-line that will allow him to adjust to NFL speed and concepts. Pittsburgh had my 10th-best OL this past season.”
This is one of the lowest slots Love has been projected in recent mock drafts. More often than not, he’s found somewhere in the top 10 to 12 picks and is widely viewed as the best running back in the entire draft.
Nevertheless, should Love actually fall to No. 21 overall, the Steelers would likely welcome that opportunity.
Love is coming off a career-best season in his third year with the Fighting Irish in 2025. He rushed for 1,372 yards, accounted for 21 total touchdowns from scrimmage and averaged an impressive 6.9 yards per carry.
Another reason he could make sense in Pittsburgh is that he’d likely factor into the future of Kenneth Gainwell.
Kenneth Gainwell’s Future in Pittsburgh Uncertain
After spending four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Gainwell signed a one-year, $1.79 million deal with the Steelers in 2025 — and he delivered a career-best campaign.
Gainwell rushed for 537 yards and five touchdowns. He also proved his value in the passing game, especially with the Steelers lacking proven pass-catching options. Gainwell added 486 receiving yards and three touchdowns, becoming a reliable outlet for Aaron Rodgers.
Gainwell, however, is one of several pending unrestricted free agents the Steelers must evaluate this offseason. According to Spotrac, he’s currently projected to command a two-year deal worth $5.922 million — a relatively team-friendly number given his production.
That doesn’t necessarily mean drafting Love would be off the table. Pittsburgh could opt to re-sign Gainwell and still add Love, creating a potential one-two punch in the backfield that would immediately upgrade the offense.
Whatever direction the Steelers ultimately choose, if Love truly carries the type of upside Frelund believes — drawing comparisons to Robinson — it would be difficult for Pittsburgh to pass on him if he’s still available at No. 21.
Robinson in 2025, recored 2,298 total yards from scrimmage, setting a new Atlanta Falcons franchise record on top of leading the NFL.
Steelers Predicted to Draft 21-TD RB With Bijan Robinson Comparison