Steelers' Early Report Card for Most Impactful Offseason Decisions

The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't made a ton of moves in the early offseason, which isn't really surprising. While Pittsburgh didn't make the playoffs in 2022, it did finish with a 9-7 record and a lot of momentum.

The Steelers won seven of their final nine games. Their roster doesn't need sweeping changes to be a playoff team in 2023, and they still have seven draft selections—including two second-rounders—to work with.

Pittsburgh hasn't sat idly by, though, and has taken steps to address both sides of the ball early in free agency. It also made a huge offseason coaching decision that could heavily impact the future of second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett.

Here, we'll dive into the biggest decisions of the Steelers' 2023 offseason thus far and provide grades based on factors like value, risk and potential upside.

Keeping OC Matt Canada

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OC Matt Canada

Right after the 2022 season ended, Pittsburgh had a big coaching decision to make. Would it retain offensive coordinator Matt Canada, whose unit ranked just 23rd in yards and 26th in scoring or move on?

Pittsburgh opted to keep Canada, and team president Art Rooney II cited continuity as the reason for that choice.

"With a new offensive coordinator, you'd start all over again," Steelers president Rooney said, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "We felt there was enough there to build on."

This is a logical stance. Developing Pickett into a legitimate franchise quarterback should be a bigger goal than contending in 2023, though head coach Mike Tomlin will undoubtedly keep the Steelers competitive.

By retaining Canada, the Steelers ensure that Pickett will be in the same system for a second straight year. He can build on what he did well in 2022, and that alone should allow Pittsburgh to take positive steps offensively.

However, this was a decision that may provide limited upside. Canada's offenses in Pittsburgh have been bland, predictable and in no way explosive. Pickett may be better in Year 2 under Canada, but that doesn't mean he'll approach his ceiling either.

There's value in stability, but Pickett might have benefited more in the long run from starting over in a more creative and varied offense.

Grade: C-

Signing G Isaac Seumalo

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G Isaac Seumalo

Regardless of what Pittsburgh's offense looks like in 2023, Pickett will benefit from the addition of guard Isaac Seumalo. The Steelers signed the former Philadelphia Eagles starter to a three-year, $24 million contract in free agency.

Seumalo, who started all 17 games in 2022, should step in as a replacement for Kevin Dotson at left guard. On paper, that should be a big upgrade for Pickett.

Dotson wasn't a complete disaster in 2022, but he was mistake-prone. He was responsible for four sacks allowed and 12 penalties, according to Pro Football Focus. Seumalo, meanwhile, was responsible for just one sack allowed and six penalties, according to PFF.

Seumalo also brings veteran leadership and playoff experience to the Steelers line—he started all three of Philadelphia's 2022 postseason games, including Super Bowl LVII and has six playoff starts on his resume.

Additionally, Seumalo has experience playing center, which gives the Steelers a little bit of flexibility and insurance along the offensive interior.

Seumalo is a valuable addition in his own right, and his presence will be even more beneficial if the Steelers target a new left tackle early in the 2023 draft. That's a distinct possibility, considering Dan Moore Jr. was responsible for 10 penalties and seven sacks allowed this past season, per PFF.

Grade: A

Signing CB Patrick Peterson

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CB Patrick Peterson

Pittsburgh's other big free-agent signing was that of cornerback Patrick Peterson. The 32-year-old comes to the Steelers on a two-year, $14 million contract.

Peterson isn't the obvious upgrade that Seumalo is. He'll likely replace Cameron Sutton in the starting lineup after Sutton signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency. Sutton is more than four years younger than Peterson and played well in 2022.

Sutton started 15 games for the Steelers this past season and allowed an opposing passer rating of 65.3 in coverage. Peterson started all 17 games for the Minnesota Vikings and allowed an opposing passer rating of 79.6.

It should be noted, though, that Peterson has an edge in consistency. He hasn't allowed an opposing passer rating above 100.0 in any of the past five seasons, while Sutton has done so twice.

Peterson remains a reliable starting cornerback, and his price point is about as team-friendly as Pittsburgh could hope to get in free agency. Sutton, by comparison, landed a three-year, $33 million deal from Detroit.

Adding Peterson was a sound choice by the Steelers, who get a potential future Hall of Famer in the secondary while still having the ability to target a young corner early in next month's draft.

Grade: B+

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*Contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.