Assessing Pittsburgh Steelers' Core Talent for 2018 and Beyond
The Pittsburgh Steelers are certainly a talented team, as evidenced by their 9-2 record through the 2017 season's first 12 weeks. And they have been for some time, with nine playoff appearances as well as two Super Bowl victories (2005, 2008) in the 13 seasons that Ben Roethlisberger has been the team's quarterback.
But who are the cornerstones of Pittsburgh's roster—not just this year, but moving forward? Here are the core players for the Steelers at each position and whether they will stay that way come 2018.
Quarterback
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The Steelers have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster: Roethlisberger, backup Landry Jones and third-string rookie Joshua Dobbs, who hasn't yet dressed for a game.
While there's a chance that this is Roethisberger's final season, thus changing the face of Pittsburgh's quarterbacks room significantly in 2018, there's no indication that this will be the case. As such, the trio represents the core of the position next year.
Of the three, Jones has the biggest chance of being knocked off the roster since Dobbs can leapfrog him on the depth chart during the 2018 offseason. That could necessitate the Steelers adding a new third-stringer. But with so much of this hinging on hypotheticals, it's hard to project a core group of quarterbacks that is drastically different than it stands.
Running Back
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Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2018 after playing the 2017 season on the franchise tag. With a $12.12 million payday this season, Bell doubtlessly will be seeking even greater per-year compensation, one commensurate with the fact that he's the league leader in rushes and rushing yardage as well as his high value as a receiver in the passing game.
The question, though, is whether Pittsburgh will be willing to pay Bell the amount he's looking for. On the one hand, it may allow Bell to test the market and let another team overpay for his services. On the other, the Steelers may have no choice but to find a way to come up with the cash to pay Bell, given how much he means to the overall success of Pittsburgh's offense.
In that case, Bell certainly remains the core player in Pittsburgh's running backs group. Joining him is 2017 rookie James Conner.
Though Conner's usage has been low this year—just 24 rushes for 113 yards—his role should increase with experience and especially if Bell is elsewhere in 2018.
The odd man out is Terrell Watson. Though the Steelers appreciate what he brings to the table in short-yardage situations and have experimented with him as a kick returner, Pittsburgh should have a new, younger third-string back next year.
At fullback, Roosevelt Nix should not relinquish his job anytime soon. A key special teamer, Nix is set to be a restricted free agent in 2018 and should receive some type of tender from the Steelers, if not a new contract, during the offseason.
Receiver and Tight End
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With Antonio Brown under contract until 2022 and rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster having a breakout year, it's not hard to presume those two receivers will be the centerpieces of Pittsburgh's passing game in 2018 and beyond. The question, however, is what the rest of the receiving corps around them will look like.
Martavis Bryant is having a disappointing 2017, with only 27 receptions for 346 yards and two touchdowns. However, he is under contract through 2018 and costs the Steelers just $705,000 next year, which means he could stick around for one more year.
Slot receiver Eli Rogers and 2017 free-agent signee Justin Hunter don't seem to be key players on a long-term basis; both could be gone next offseason.
Darrius Heyward-Bey looks like he could stick around. His value is on special teams, though, and not as a receiver (he has caught just one pass, a 44-yarder, this year). Thus, beyond Brown and Smith-Schuster, it is hard to determine what the Steelers' receiving depth chart will look like after the 2017 season.
At tight end, the Steelers may have no choice but to stand pat with Jesse James at the top of the depth chart. It's believable that they move on from James or completely revamp the tight end position, releasing James as well as Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble.
The wild card is Jake McGee, who is on Pittsburgh's practice squad. He may factor into the team's future plans, though he's yet to play a regular-season game.
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Offensive Line
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Based on contract length and performance, the Steelers offensive line doesn't appear headed for many significant changes in 2018. Tackles Marcus Gilbert and Alejandro Villanueva, guards Ramon Foster and David DeCastro and center Maurkice Pouncey are all under contract through the 2018 season.
However, the Steelers do have some decisions to make in the coming months. One is the fate of Foster, who is an unrestricted free agent after the 2018 season. Pittsburgh could certainly opt to give him an extension next year.
Another question mark is Chris Hubbard, a hybrid guard-tackle backup who has spent seven games as Pittsburgh's starting right tackle with Gilbert missing time with a hamstring injury and serving a four-game suspension that concludes after the Patriots game in Week 15.
Given how well the line has performed without Gilbert, the Steelers could instead try to give Hubbard an affordable long-term deal and move on from Gilbert, who is set to earn over $7 million in 2018.
If that's the case, Matt Feiler could move into the Hubbard role as a multiposition backup. That could also continue to be the role for Jerald Hawkins; indeed, both could remain part of the Steelers' plans on the offensive line in 2018 and beyond even if neither cracks the starting five.
Defensive Line
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The makeup of the Steelers' starting defensive line shouldn't see many changes in 2018 and, thanks to contract extensions signed by ends Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward, should not be altered much for the two or three years that follow.
Defensive tackle, too, seems to be set for the long term, with Javon Hargrave taking on the role of nose tackle and emerging as one of the league's most underrated defenders. Thus, this should be the last year for Daniel McCullers on Pittsburgh's roster; he's an unrestricted free agent in 2018 and has been active for only three games this year.
As far as depth, Tyson Alualu has proved himself a useful injury replacement at end and, thanks to a contract that has him affordably with the Steelers until 2019, means he should stick around for at least one more season.
Practice-squadder Lavon Hooks could earn himself a promotion next year. Other young players will need to be added via the draft, as the Steelers don't have much depth on the defensive line.
Linebacker
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With numerous draft assets spent on the linebacker position—both inside and outside—in the past few years, the Steelers have a solid core in place that should help define the defensive side of the ball through the remainder of the decade. On the outside, T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree should be starters through at least 2020 if not longer, while on the inside, Ryan Shazier has become the defining player on Pittsburgh's defense.
However, the other inside linebacker spot could be up for grabs following the 2018 season depending on whether the Steelers will offer current starter Vince Williams a new deal once his current one expires. With L.J. Fort and Tyler Matakevich both promising young players on contracts that are paying them well under $1 million for each of the two seasons, it's possible one becomes Williams' heir apparent and just as invaluable to the team as their other young linebackers.
On the outside, it appears the career of James Harrison will come to an end in 2018 after 15 seasons. The 39-year-old has been active for only four games this year and has missed the last three weeks with a back injury. With Anthony Chickillo proving that he's a solid depth pass-rusher, the 2018 restricted free agent has a much better chance of staying with Pittsburgh, while Harrison could finally retire.
That leaves Arthur Moats as another veteran backup at the outside linebacker position; the eight-year pro could earn him another short contract from the Steelers this offseason.
Defensive Back
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One of the Steelers' biggest offseason priorities was to drastically improve their secondary, particularly the cornerback position, and the fruits of those labors will continue to be feasted upon for years to come. Artie Burns, the team's Round 1 draft pick from 2016, and Mike Hilton, the breakout slot cornerback promoted during the summer, both will be cornerstones in Pittsburgh's defensive backfield.
It should also be safe to assume that Joe Haden, whom the Steelers acquired as a free agent after the veteran was released by the Cleveland Browns in September, will factor into Pittsburgh's plans going forward, despite currently being sidelined with a broken leg. However, with a cap hit that jumps from $3.17 million this year to over $11 million in 2018, Haden could be released in a cost-cutting measure or else have his contract restructured into a more team-friendly one.
Coty Sensabaugh has shown his value on Pittsburgh's depth chart, having his number called thanks to the Haden injury and making a case for his continued employment by the Steelers. But, like Haden, Sensabaugh is veteran depth and solutions to immediate, short-term problems.
It will be players like Cameron Sutton (recently activated from injured reserve) and Brian Allen whom the Steelers are hoping will join Hilton and Burns as the young core of their cornerback depth chart.
At safety, Mike Mitchell, J.J. Wilcox and Robert Golden are all under contract through the 2018 season, while Sean Davis is signed through 2019. Davis should be safe for now as one of Pittsburgh's starting safeties, but competition whether via free agency or the draft will be necessary as Davis has been inconsistent.
Meanwhile, one only has to look at the secondary's performance in the two games he's missed due to injury to understand why Mitchell has become such a key cog. Adding depth will also be a priority, with one of those new faces likely to take over for Mitchell whenever he and the Steelers part ways, whether in 2019 (when Mitchell will be 32 years old) or later.
Special Teams
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On special teams, the Steelers have little reason to move on from kicker Chris Boswell. He has made 83 of his 86 extra-point tries over three years with the Steelers as well as 75 of his 85 field-goal attempts. Though Boswell has missed three field goals this year and two extra points, he's proved to be one of the more consistent kickers in the NFL during a time when kicking shuffles have been ongoing throughout the season.
They also aren't likely to make changes at long snapper, either. Kameron Canaday, who beat out draft pick Colin Holba this summer, has taken over for Greg Warren, who held the job in Pittsburgh for 12 years before being released with an injury last spring. The Steelers—nor many NFL teams—make frequent changes at the long snapper position, which bodes well for Canaday's long-term job security.
There could be a change in the punter. Jordan Berry, who has been with the Steelers since 2015, has consistently struggled; Pittsburgh has one of the worst yards-per-punt averages in the league this year, at 43.2 yards. Berry is a restricted free agent in 2018, just as is Boswell, but it's Boswell who is most likely to get a tender or new contract between the two.
Pittsburgh also needs to find a solution to its kick and punt return issues.
Antonio Brown is again responsible for the latter, primarily because no other player has managed to make the position his own. The same is the case at kick returner; Smith-Schuster and running back Terrell Watson are among those who have been tapped for return duties this year, but neither is a natural. The return game will be an area for the Steelers to focus on beginning in the 2018 offseason, with the long-term solution as of now a work in progress.
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