Jason Worilds' Retirement Makes OLB Even Bigger Question Mark for Steelers

Outside linebacker Jason Worilds was expected to be one of the most coveted players at his position in free agency, potentially commanding $7 million or more per year for his services. The Pittsburgh Steelers were preparing to lose Worilds to another team but still possessed a hope that he could return, reprising his role in the front seven where he was sorely needed.

Instead, with seemingly no warning, Worilds announced his retirement from football early on Wednesday morning. 

On one hand, the announcement changes nothing for the Steelers if they truly believed they had little to no shot of re-signing Worilds had he chosen to continue with his NFL career. On the other, it does take an experienced outside linebacker off of the market, one they could have successfully courted.

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

At this point, there are no remaining outside linebackers on the free-agent market who would make sense for the Steelers to sign. Their best bet may be to bring back James Harrison later in the year if he has not taken on with another team, much as they did last year, if they want to add a veteran. Instead, it appears the Steelers will have to settle for the draft to provide their next generation of pass-rushing talent.

The Steelers currently have two outside linebackers on the roster who are set to see significant playing time in 2014: 2013 first-round draft pick Jarvis Jones and veteran Arthur Moats, re-signed by the Steelers on Monday to a three-year deal after spending the 2014 season with the team.

Moats had four sacks and 17 tackles in his 16 games and nine starts in 2014, while Jones totaled two sacks and nine tackles in a season marred by a broken wrist. Neither were three-down players for the Steelers—Moats and Harrison split time, while Jones was on the injured reserve/return list and then all three rotated in and out, with Worilds the only Steelers defender to play all of the team's defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Year	Games	Starts	Snaps	Tackles	Sacks	FF	FR	INT	PD
2013	14	8	646	31	1.0	0	0	0	4
2014	7	3	237	9	2.0	1	0	0	0
Total	21	11	883	40	3.0	1	0	0	4

Even if Harrison eventually returns to Pittsburgh, both Moats and Jones will have to take on bigger roles in 2015. It's highly likely that the Steelers also address pass rush early in the draft—perhaps as early as Round 1, where they pick 22nd overall—but whoever that rookie may be, it will take some time before he's ready to take on a full season's worth of snaps.

Moats seems ready for an expanded role, but Jones is more of a question mark. Jones has yet to look close to the talent he was in college at Georgia and coaches have implored him to gain weight to help his leverage game, something Jones acknowledged, among others, in January:

"

I can say I need to put on more weight, I can get stronger and all that. I just need to become a better football player, understand the things I need to get better at, so when the season comes I can help my team in all phases. Whatever's required—getting stronger, gaining weight, understanding the things I need to know to be a better football player—all that comes into hand. I need to work on it all.

"

But the concerns for Moats and Jones are similar, in that both should be capable of playing all three downs but neither have thus far done so. And given the Steelers' situation, they seem destined to be flung into a more prominent role, ready or not.

Now, the focus must shift to the pass-rushing talent the Steelers could add in the draft, whether that be Clemson's Vic Beasley, Nebraska's Randy Gregory or Missouri's Shane Ray. But even that could prove difficult, with the Steelers picking late in the round and a number of teams selecting before them that need pass-rushing help as well.

Further complicating matters is the Steelers' need at cornerback. They may not be able to find another starter at that position in Round 2, leaving them potentially starting a trio of William Gay, Cortez Allen and Antwon Blake this year, unless they lose their chance at a pass-rusher in Round 1.

Worilds' retirement makes things more complicated for the Steelers in some ways, while in others it leaves the situation much the same as it was before his announcement.

What is known, however, is that Worilds isn't just off the table for the other 31 teams in the NFL but also the Steelers. He's no longer an option. And dwindling options at outside linebacker is the last thing the Steelers need at the moment.