The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a rough season in 2025. Despite high expectations for their defense, the team struggled to stay consistent and allowed 387 points in the regular season. However, under new head coach Mike McCarthy, the team has been busy rebuilding the roster for 2026. And to fix their already existing defensive woes, the Steelers have signed defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day. 

“Former Titans free-agent defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph Day is signing a two-year, $11 million deal with the Steelers, including $6 million this year, per agent Drew Rosenhaus.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on his X account.

Having Sebastian Joseph-Day will be a huge asset for the team. His elite ability to stop the run makes it difficult for opponents to gain ground. He has spent two seasons playing for the Titans, starting for 22 games. Last year, he started 10 games for the team and maintained a low 9.1% missed tackle rate while recording 41 tackles and 2 sacks. With a stature of 6’4″ and 310 lbs, Joseph-Day can play several techniques. That includes nose tackle (0-tech), three-technique, and even defensive end/edge in specific packages.

Throughout his career, Sebastian has played for the Los Angeles Rams, Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers and has started in 90 of his 105 career games. He has also won a Super Bowl in 2022 with the Rams and was a runner-up with the 49ers in 2024. Thus, his experience will be really useful in revamping the Steelers’ secondary. Under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Joseph-Day will be a crucial chess-piece, who can move around the front depending on the rival’s offensive schemes.

Joseph-Day will likely serve as the No. 4 or No. 5 defensive lineman, and the team will primarily use his stature to plug the run. Plus, his 34.5-inch arms will be the cherry on top to hold the point of attack and keep linebackers like Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson “clean” from blockers. And that’s exactly what the Steelers expect from the veteran player. In addition to adding help on the defensive line, the team has acquired wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. through a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. 

The Steelers are accurately using their salary cap space

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially kicked off their 2026 campaign, taking full advantage of the league’s growing financial landscape. With the NFL raising the salary cap to $301.2 million for 2026, projections place the Steelers at more than $40 million in salary cap space. And surely enough, the team has already begun acquiring quality players. Before bringing in Sebastian Joseph-Day, the team landed wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was acquired from the Indianapolis Colts in a trade earlier this week.

To ensure he remains a long-term fixture in the Steel City, Pittsburgh signed him to a three-year, $59 million contract extension. The deal includes $35 million in guaranteed money (per Roundtable Sports) and carries an average annual value of $19.67 million. For his part, he eagerly looks forward to getting started under the new leadership.

“I was telling Coach that I’m excited for this opportunity and that it’s going to be great,” Pittman said. “He was telling me about his plans and everything for this offense, and the things that we are going to do, and everything just sounded great. I’m excited to turn those words into a reality. I am excited to meet everyone, and I can’t wait to get out there,” he said.

Pittman arrives in Pittsburgh following a productive final season with the Colts, where he caught 80 passes for 784 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns. One could only hope that these roster changes will help the team reach the Super Bowl this year.