Steelers 'plotting course to move forward' with Ravens up next - ESPN

PITTSBURGH — Coach Mike Tomlin was still in the Baltimore Ravens' visitors locker room when he resolved to reshape the Pittsburgh Steelers' roster.

After the Steelers allowed 299 rushing yards — including 186 to Derrick Henry — in a 28-14 wild-card loss to Baltimore, Tomlin decided he needed to infuse the 2025 roster with physicality through free agency and the NFL draft.

«I doubt that I had even gotten in the shower yet [in Baltimore], to be quite honest with you,» Tomlin told NFL Network in April. «As you guys can see, [it was a priority] to reestablish physicality and big-man presence.»

Not only did the Steelers use their 2025 first-round pick to draft defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, but they also added fellow defensive lineman Yahya Black and outside linebacker Jack Sawyer. And in free agency, the front office signed inside linebacker Malik Harrison and defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale and brought back veteran defensive linemen Dean Lowry and Isaiahh Loudermilk.

«The acquisition of bigs,» Tomlin said of how losing to the Ravens shaped their roster construction for this season. «You saw our emphasis in the draft around big people fortifying our depth in that area and certainly it has been required.»

The Steelers also gave up 220 and 124 rushing yards to the Ravens in their 2024 regular-season matchups, but Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan didn't make their offseason additions with only Baltimore in mind. The physicality of the entire AFC North informed their decisions, including extending hard-hitting safety DeShon Elliott and running back Jaylen Warren and trading for wide receiver DK Metcalf.

«When you look across the league, when you look at the way franchises and organizations draft, a lot has to do with who