Ranking Pittsburgh Steelers' Biggest Needs in 2017 NFL Draft
Every NFL team heads into their respective offseasons knowing that there will positions that need addressing, via both free agency and the draft. They also know that some of these positions are a higher priority than others, whether for lack of depth or a vacancy at a starting job.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are not a terribly needy team as the 2017 NFL draft creeps ever closer. But they do have positions that will require addressing with their as-now eight selections. As with all teams, some are more important than others.
Here are the Steelers' draft needs, ranked in order of most to least pressing.
1. Edge-Rusher
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The Steelers' defense had a successful 2016 when it came to sacking opposing quarterbacks, with 38 combined. Though no individual defender had a double-digit total, 15 players had at least one sack on their stats to end the year.
But it wasn't the most pressure-heavy defense in the league. Football Outsiders had the Steelers bringing pressure just 24.2 percent of the time, ranking them 24th for 2016. That's not the only reason why the Steelers' top draft priority this year needs to be improving their group of edge-rushers, though.
For one, Pittsburgh lost linebacker Jarvis Jones in free agency. For another, this could mark the final years both James Harrison and Arthur Moats are with the team; Moats is a free agent in 2018 while it would cost the Steelers only $250,000 to release Harrison next year.
At present, that leaves Bud Dupree as the Steelers' lone, top outside linebacker.
The draft has a ton of pass-rushing talent that the Steelers can choose from, including early, late and middle rounds. In a year when need and talent are overlapping, there's no doubt this is their highest-priority roster need.
2. Cornerback
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An outstanding piece of offseason business was completed on Monday, with Pittsburgh cornerback Ross Cockrell finally signing his restricted free-agent tender, good for the 2017 season only and worth $1.79 million.
However, this does not preclude the Steelers from drafting another cornerback—or two—next week, nor does it make it any less of a position of priority.
Cockrell, who was a full-season starter in 2016, will either reprise his role on the outside alongside Artie Burns or be moved into the slot, depending on who the Steelers draft this year and how the summer's competition plays out. But beyond this duo and the hypothetical rookie, Pittsburgh has few other viable starting options.
William Gay is likely in the final year or two of his time with the Steelers and free-agent signing Coty Sensabaugh feels little more than a stopgap. Further, Cockrell's one-year tender does not guarantee he will be getting a long-term contract to stick around for 2018 and beyond.
Thus, the Steelers need to take one of the draft's numerous cornerback prospects, potentially doing so in Round 1.
3. Tight End
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The Steelers had high hopes a year ago that their tight end department would be much stronger than it was in 2015.
Jesse James, their 2015 fifth-round draft pick, had a year of experience to his name to build upon and the team also signed free agent (and deep pass-catching threat) Ladarius Green. But things did not go as planned.
James has yet to emerge as a reliable receiving option, while Green's 2016 was marred by injuries, including an ankle issue to open the season and a concussion that closed it, holding him to just six games played on the year. While the pair remain on Pittsburgh's roster, the question marks which swirl around the duo mean the Steelers need to find additional options at the position.
Luckily for the Steelers, the 2017 draft class has at least a dozen, if not more, tight ends who can make immediate receiving impacts on the offense. This hasn't been the case in the years preceding it; thus, the timing could not be better for Pittsburgh to have a pressing need at the position.
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4. Running Back
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For the 2015 and 2016 seasons, the Steelers' backup running back was DeAngelo Williams. Appearing in 29 games with 14 starts (owing both to injuries and suspensions for No. 1 back Le'Veon Bell), he had 1,250 rushing yards and 15 rushing scores and 18 catches leading to two more touchdowns.
But Williams became an unrestricted free agent following the end of 2016 and has not been re-signed. Though the Steelers brought on free agent Knile Davis, it seems more as though he will be competing with Fitzgerald Toussaint for the No. 3 job (and kick and/or punt returner). Thus, the roster spot directly behind Bell remains unfilled.
This is a good draft at the running back position, something that likely has influenced their decision to not make a significant overture to Williams or any other higher-profile veteran.
And with Bell's suspension and injury background, finding someone to serve as his primary backup is not something the Steelers can take lightly.
5. Safety
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At present, the Steelers have just five safeties on their roster. Two of them, Mike Mitchell and Sean Davis, closed 2016 as the starters and should stay that way through 2017. But behind them, only Robert Golden and Jordan Dangerfield could step in for Mitchell or Davis should something happen.
Plus, Golden and Mitchell are set to be unrestricted free agents following the 2018 season—and their 2018s aren't guaranteed to be spent in Pittsburgh to begin with. The Steelers would be wise to take advantage of a safety class that is among the most talented position groups of the 2017 draft.
The goal would be to find Mitchell's replacement to pair up with the young Davis, Pittsburgh's 2016 second-round draft pick. But the Steelers could also target safety depth in the draft, or among the undrafted rookies they will be snagging off the market immediately after Round 7 wraps.
The Steelers need both a future starter and future depth out of any of their new safeties.
6. Wide Receiver
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The Steelers have one of the NFL's best receivers in Antonio Brown, but behind him they have cobbled together a serviceable, if anonymous-seeming, group of targets for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's passes.
As things stand, the team's top wideouts after Brown are Eli Rogers, Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Justin Hunter.
While the Steelers have a group they can work with, as evidenced by their 2016 season and the way the offense performed, Pittsburgh would be well-served to find another quality receiver in the 2017 draft. Coates struggled through a hernia and broken fingers, Heyward-Bey and Rogers missed a combined five games a year ago, and the team lost Markus Wheaton in free agency.
Further, Martavis Bryant remains suspended by the league for his repeated violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy, with no guarantees he will be reinstated and able to play this year. Pittsburgh needs to bulk up at the position.
The Steelers showed in 2016 that they can make do at wideout, especially when Brown's services are available. But they don't have to; the Steelers have an opportunity to improve the position via next week's draft.
7. Quarterback
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Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's early-offseason retirement scare has made something abundantly clear for the Steelers—they likely have fewer years ahead with their long-time passer than they do behind them.
Though Roethlisberger will return for his 14th season in 2017, the question has already been raised: Is quarterback part of the Steelers' draft plan this year?
Behind Roethlisberger on Pittsburgh's depth chart is Landry Jones, re-signed this offseason to a two-year deal. While capable enough as a backup, though, Jones is not a candidate to be a long-term replacement. But it's also possible that no one in the 2017 draft class is, either.
The Steelers could have an opportunity to take one of the draft's top quarterbacks in Round 1, where they pick 30th overall. But it's more likely that the top prospects will be spoken for by then, plus the Steelers' other positional needs could trump any desire to use a Round 1 selection on a passer.
It would take the Steelers believing that a quality quarterback—of the developmental, high-upside variety—can be found in a later round (and that actually panning out, which is never a guarantee) for the team to truly think Roethlisberger's successor is among their 2017 picks.
Still, it's something the Steelers must keep in mind. Roethlisberger may be only 35 years old, but he's completed a 16-game season only three times and has endured numerous, serious injuries. He's not Tom Brady, who hopes to play until he's in his mid-40s.
While Pittsburgh may not end up with a quarterback of the future among their draft picks this year, the numerous rumors do seem to indicate there's some fire amid the smoke.
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