Steelers' Biggest Keys To Having Successful NFL Offseason
The Pittsburgh Steelers had another winning season in 2023 and returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence. However, it's still hard to say that Pittsburgh had a successful campaign.
The Steelers finished third in the AFC North and were ousted from the playoffs in the wild-card round. Pittsburgh has now gone seven seasons without a playoff victory.
While the Steelers are facing a $12.3 million cap deficit and won't pick until slot No. 20 in April's draft, they can get better. Pittsburgh already took one significant step by hiring former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator.
Here, we'll dive into the biggest goals Pittsburgh must accomplish to have a successful 2024 offseason.
Bring in QB Competition
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Pittsburgh simply hasn't seen enough growth from 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett to feel comfortable with him as next year's Week 1 starting quarterback. If the Steelers were sold on Pickett, they wouldn't have stuck with Mason Rudolph once Pickett was healthy enough to return from his ankle injury last season.
Pittsburgh must bring in quarterback competition, and it could do it in a variety of ways. It could re-sign Rudolph—a priority for the team, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette—or add a journeyman like Tyrod Taylor or Jacoby Brissett to push Pickett in training camp.
The Steelers could also look for a higher-end option who would be more likely to beat out Pickett and claim the starting role.
The latter route could involve targeting a draft prospect like LSU's Jayden Daniels or Michigan's J.J. McCarthy. It could also involve targeting a veteran like Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill or potential trade target Justin Fields.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, head coach Mike Tomlin could be particularly interested in Fields.
"Mike Tomlin's a big fan of Justin Fields. We'll keep that in mind during the offseason and the coming weeks," Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show (h/t Ryan Taylor of NBC Sports Chicago).
What Pittsburgh can't afford to do is head into 2024 with Pickett as the unchallenged starter.
Find an Upgrade at Left Tackle
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If the Steelers don't target a quarterback in Round 1, they should think long and hard about targeting a top offensive tackle. Rookie Broderick Jones brought an edge to the offensive line once he claimed the starting job on the right side, but left tackle Dan Moore Jr. again disappointed.
Moore was responsible for three penalties and eight sacks allowed last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
If a left tackle prospect like Notre Dame's Joe Alt or Penn State's Olumuyiwa Fashanu falls outside of the top 10, the Steelers should consider moving up. Alternatively, Pittsburgh could contemplate flipping Jones to the left side and targeting a right tackle prospect like Alabama's JC Latham.
Either route would help solidify the Steelers' line and potentially give Pittsburgh bookend tackles for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, the free agent market isn't as loaded at the tackle spot, though a veteran like Mike Onwenu could still allow Jones to make the transition to left tackle.
For the Steelers to have a successful offseason, they have to find a way to improve their lone. Doing so will aid whichever quarterback is under center while boosting a ground game that ranked just 19th in yards per carry last season.
Address the Run Defense
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Two years ago, the Steelers run defense showed dramatic improvement under then-linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant. With Flores departing to become the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator, the run defense regressed.
Pittsburgh finished the 2022 season ranked eighth in yards per carry allowed. This past season, it ranked 21st. The Steelers run defense was fully exposed during the playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.
With Teryl Austin back as the defensive coordinator, the Steelers will likely have to undergo personnel changes to find improvement. Pittsburgh will either need to re-sign or replace impending free agents Montravius Adams and Armon Watts while boosting a linebacker group that simply wasn't good enough in 2023.
Stealing Patrick Queen away from the rival Baltimore Ravens in free agency would be a coup. Pittsburgh should also consider veterans like Devin White and Azeez Al-Shaair, along with Day 2 draft prospects like Texas A&M's Edgerrin Cooper.
While the NFL has become a passing league, the most consistent teams can run the ball when they have to. If the Steelers hope to compete with teams like the Bills, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs at the top of the AFC, they simply must be better at stopping the run.
*Cap and contract information via Spotrac.
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