5 Biggest Decisions Pittsburgh Steelers Will Face in 2015 Offseason

It is never too soon to start thinking about the 2015 offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even with five games left to play in 2014, there are some obvious decisions down the road that the Pittsburgh front office is going to have to make.

Whether it is figuring out how to rush the passer, or how many zeros to put on the end of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s new contract, this offseason is going to have some serious highlights. The Steelers front office doesn’t typically like to make a lot of splash moves, so this offseason could be very much out of character.

Here’s a look at five of the big decisions this team is going to be facing in 2015. Oh, I’m sure some of you will wonder how I determined which of these are most important. Well, here’s a hint; they are all important. However, this list is ranked based on which moves are going to make this team a Super Bowl contender in 2015.

5. Finding Another Running Back

Wade Payne/Associated Press

It may seem like blasphemy to even talk about the running back position for the Steelers right now but read on. Yes, Le’Veon Bell is quickly developing into one of the most complete running backs in the game. Eleven games into 2014 and Bell has piled up 951 yards rushing and 484 yards receiving.

Assuming he stays healthy, Bell has a chance to be a real workhorse running back for the Steelers for many seasons. Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote about the potential workload Bell is facing. He indicated that offensive coordinator Todd Haley and Bell are in agreement that he’s going to carry the ball as much as Bell can handle.

Nevertheless, even with the best of intentions, the depth of the Steelers running back situation is razor thin. The picture Kaboly paints about the players behind Bell in his article isn’t pretty. 

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An undersized rookie with five career carries.

A fullback who was converted to a tight end.

A rookie who was just added from the practice squad.

A guy who was playing for something called the Fall Experimental Football League two weeks ago.

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The only logical solution is that the Steelers either go after a veteran free-agent running back, or spend a fairly high draft pick in 2015 to bolster depth. I say fairly high because the depth chart is already riddled with rookies.

There will be some interesting veterans testing the waters this offseason who could provide Bell with a break when he needs it and could fill in full time in a pinch. The two names that jump out at me are San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore and Washington Redskins running back Roy Helu. Both are fascinating options that could help this team win.

4. A New Contract for Roethlisberger

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

It’s only a matter of time until quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is rewarded for his outstanding play. Now, that’s not to say Big Ben is hurting for cash. According to Over the Cap, Roethlisberger is entering the final year of his contract in 2015, and is set to make a base salary of $11.6 million and has a cap hit of $18.4 million.

It would behoove the Steelers to lock Roethlisberger up well before the 2015 season gets started. But what kind of money are we talking about? According to Business Insider, Roethlisberger was already the No. 11 highest-paid player in the NFL going into the 2014 season.

So, what kind of raise are we talking about? With the season Roethlisberger is having, probably something north of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning’s five-year, $96.0 million with $58.0 million guaranteed deal but still below the ridiculous seven-year, $126.7 million contract the Chicago Bears gave Jay Cutler.

Money aside, the Steelers cannot let Roethlisberger enter the 2015 season playing without a new deal. Roethlisberger is at the very peak of his career and franchise-type quarterbacks are just too hard to find to let him walk.

3. A Real Youth Movement

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There are lots of veteran players on this roster, many of whom are going to be free agents in 2015. The Steelers could see a tremendous changing of the guard at multiple positions. Here are some veteran free agents who might not return. 

• James Harrison, LB
• Jason Worilds, LB
• Ike Taylor, CB
• Will Allen, S
• Matt Spaeth, TE
• Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR
• Arthur Moats, LB
• Brad Wing, P

That’s a pretty extensive list of players who have played prominent roles on this team so far in 2014, whether it is as a starter or rotational player who could and probably should be gone.

In addition, defensive linemen Cam Thomas and Steve McLendon are both players who could find themselves on the chopping block if their play doesn’t improve.

The two of them would give $4.25 million in cap savings if released, per Over the Cap, to allow youngsters Daniel McCullers and Stephon Tuitt to thrive. Are the Steelers willing to turn the roster over like this in order to get better?

2. Fixing the Pass Rush

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

For a 3-4 defense, the pass rush is key to success. Unfortunately, through 11 games, the Steelers have only been able to muster 20 sacks. By comparison, the Buffalo Bills lead the league with 39 sacks in only 10 games.

Outside linebackers Jason Worilds, James Harrison and Arthur Moats all have contracts set to expire at the end of the 2014 season. In addition, second-year outside linebacker Jarvis Jones is sitting on injured reserve/designated for return with a wrist injury. If Jones returns in 2014, it can’t be before the Week 13 game against the New Orleans Saints.

Let’s assume Jones does make a full recovery, suddenly discovers some pass-rush moves and is ready to play in 2015. Who plays opposite him? None of the veterans I mentioned earlier warrant a new contract at this point, so it is time to move forward and tear this unit down, building it back better then ever.

Here’s where the Steelers need to look to the draft. Pittsburgh has spent its last two first-round picks on linebackers, so the precedent is fairly clear. The 2015 class has some very interesting edge players, many of which fit what the Steelers need.

Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller has five edge players in his top 25, who could be Steelers targets in 2015. 

Aside from those five, there are several others who would be great value at the end of the first round including LSU defensive end Danielle Hunter. Hunter has amazing length at 6’6”, and he has flashed the kind of burst off the edge this team has been lacking for several seasons.

1. Rookie or Free-Agent Cornerbacks

Gene Puskar/Associated Press

Other than outside linebacker, cornerback is the most key position on this team that will need to be addressed this offseason. This is a group that is giving up 241.6 passing yards per game, which ranks them No. 16 in the NFL.

If we assume that Taylor is gone at the end of the season, the Steelers are going to need to, at minimum, replace him. However, the remaining cornerbacks on the roster are mediocre talents who have been overmatched week after week.

Cornerbacks Brice McCain and Antwon Blake are both free agents, so the decision the front office makes about these two players will dictate how the rest of the unit goes. If one or neither of these players are re-signed, the Steelers will need to prioritize cornerback in either free agency or the draft.

If free agency is the route, you can be assured that it will be an expensive venture. It seems that every offseason, top cornerbacks draw in massive salaries, which would likely preclude Pittsburgh from getting involved.

That means the draft would once again be the place where the Steelers look for their future starting cornerback. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller gave the Steelers Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes in his latest mock draft, and that makes sense. As Miller pointed out, this team is due for an upgrade.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers need an infusion of youth and talent at cornerback—but I've been saying this for five years. Will this finally be the year the front office gets serious about investing in a cornerback early in the draft?

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Like pass-rushing outside linebacker, cornerback is a deep class for 2015. Pittsburgh should be able to get starters at one spot or the other in either of the first two rounds.

Unless specified, stats and player data courtesy of ESPN.com.