How the Pittsburgh Steelers Can Get Back on Top of the AFC

The Pittsburgh Steelers came into 2011 hoping to redeem themselves after letting one slip away in Super Bowl XLV.

I have to admit, I was a believer. I spent February 2011 through January 2012 telling anyone that would listen that this would be the year of the Super Bowl rematch. I even embarrassed myself with that postseason prediction just a few weeks ago, ignoring the Steelers' injury woes and the Green Bay Packers inconsistent defense. I firmly believed these teams had more firepower on both sides of the ball than the rest of the NFL.

I got the rematch part right, but the wrong teams. Do I get half-credit? Anyone? Please?

Anyway, after getting Tebowed (really, there is no greater embarrassment) out of the playoffs in a disappointing end to the season, can these aging Steelers rekindle the magic and make another Super Bowl run? Yes, but it will take a perfect offseason. 

Salary Cap Decisions

The problem is, the Steelers have some glaring wants—I would not quite call them needs— and not a lot of money to do it. They also need to re-sign Mike Wallace, their most important offseason concern. One way they can free up space is to say goodbye to numerous longtime locker-room and fan favorites.

Hines Ward's game slipped precipitously this season, posting his worst numbers since he was a rookie. James Farrior can still tackle anyone that runs right into him, but cannot cover his own shadow when he gets caught on a passing down.

The team should cut Casey Hampton and his eight million dollar salary. Hampton will be 35 years old and coming off ACL surgery when the season starts. That does not bode well for a player who has struggled with conditioning issues for the majority of his career and has played in all 16 games just once since 2005. Releasing those three vets would save them about 15 million dollars. 

Other free agents/potential retirees include Chris Hoke (who announced his retirement) and Aaron Smith, as well as several others that should not be considered priorities. By allowing two of their three free-agent quarterbacks to walk and saying goodbye to the majority of their unrestricted free agents, they should be well enough under the cap to re-sign Mike Wallace and play around in free agency. 

Free Agency

If the Steelers say goodbye to James Farrior, they must find a replacement to play next to Lawrence Timmons. Larry Foote is serviceable, but at 32 before the season starts, there is no guarantee he will be back either. 

When scanning the list of available free agents, the name I like most as both a great fit and realistic option is Curtis Lofton. Be honest; have you heard of Lofton? If you did, did you have any idea he was the NFL's fifth-leading tackler? Unless you are a fan of the Atlanta Falcons or another NFC South team, I doubt it.

That is what makes hims such a great fit for the Steelers. Pittsburgh is never going to trade for a Randy Moss or sign a Terrell Owens in free agency. If they make any splash, it is under-the-radar.

Think of their two biggest signings in the last decade: James Farrior and Ryan Clark. Clark was an under-valued commodity stuck in Washington, and Farrior was somehow underrated, even though he was the NFL's second-leading tackler in his final season with the New York Jets.

Lofton is the kind of athlete that will make a perfect transition to a 3-4 inside linebacker. He is smart and has a high motor, and with two interceptions this season, including one returned for a touchdown, can cover tight ends and running backs.   

The Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers absolutely must make a big splash in the draft. If they say goodbye to Casey Hampton, a perfect fit would be Dontari Poe. 

At 6'5" and 350 lbs., Poe eats steaks before games, then washes them down with offensive linemen. He will absolutely absorb two to three blockers, freeing up the Steelers linebackers to do what they do best: make plays.

Now, here is another situation to consider: A player I would love to see in the Black and Gold is Vontaze Burfict. In order to land him, a perfect storm of situations would have to happen. First, you can ignore my last slide about signing Curtis Lofton. It would not make any sense for the team to acquire both.

First, the team would have to do one of two things: replace Hampton, instead of Farrior, via free agency. There are a couple of free agents that could take Hampton's place; Sione Pouha from the New York Jets or Paul Soliai from the Miami Dolphins come to mind.

Their other option is to take their chances with the ultimate draft steal. They take Burfict in the first round and take their chances that Poe drops to the second round. It would not be a shock if his status drops due to weight issues, as other teams want a sexier, playmaking defensive lineman in the first round. The team would have to trade up in the second round, which they have done numerous times. The price to do so in the second round is far less steep than trading up in the first round. 

Burfict projects perfectly for the Steelers as a 20-to-30 pick in the first round. Why am I so high on Burfict as a Steelers 'backer? Well, they say pictures say a thousand words, so I will let this YouTube video do the talking. 

The Offensive Line

Every season, we talk about this group. However, if they could stay healthy for a year, there is no reason why this cannot be a solid and effective unit. 

Max Starks is one of the free agents the Steelers must make a decision on. He came off the couch to solidify the left tackle spot and help turn Pittsburgh's season around. He too is scheduled for offseason ACL surgery. 

There are several factors impacting the Starks decision other than the cap hit and his impending surgery. First, the Steelers must decide on the health of Willie Colon. Before two season-ending injuries, Colon was considered the team's best lineman. If they still believe in him, they must also decide if Marcus Gilbert is ready to switch over to left tackle and protect Ben Roethlisberger's blind side. 

There are two dream positions I would love the Steelers to have: an absolute shutdown corner on the level of Darrelle Revis and a rock-solid left tackle for the next decade. Given the other needs, these are, again, nothing but dreams. 

However, if they do everything else right, replace who needs to be replaced, sign who needs to be signed and draft the right personnel, I believe both the secondary and line are solid enough to win another Super Bowl. 

Alexander is a featured columnist for bleacherreport.com You can follow Alexander on Twitter @thesportsdude7 or become a fan on his Bleacher Report profile.