The National Football League Draft is still several months away but for teams no longer playing the clock is now running. The Pittsburgh Steelers have many needs as they enter the process of vetting and researching potential picks but they also have many financial decisions to make before the draft even gets here.
As far as what they ‘need,’ the list seems to grow almost daily but will be predicated on a couple of things.
First, the decisions the Steelers make in terms of who gets cut, who gets restructured and who gets a free agent offer will then impact who the Steelers target in round one of the draft.
At the current moment, common sense tells us that cornerback, nose tackle, defensive end, linebacker (inside or outside), safety and perhaps wide receiver are options for the Steelers at pick number 15. There are other factors that will determine what position is taken outside of what I’ve already mentioned.
Keep in mind that under Dick LeBeau, rookies don’t exactly see the field on a regular basis. Jarvis Jones, Vince Williams and Shamarko Thomas all saw significant time this past year but that was an exception to the usual rule.
The problem with LeBeau’s practice is that the defense is likely to be in worse shape than it was this past season when those three rookies saw significant action. That means that if the Steelers are going to go ‘defense’ in the first round then it will have to be a player and position that both LeBeau and Mike Tomlin feel good about in terms of playing sooner rather than later.
Essentially, we as fans must be patient because a lot will change over the course of the next few months. The factors that surround our targets will change as well so be patient and don’t fall in love with anyone just yet.
Marc Uhlmann writes for and co-owns www.steelcityblitz.com. Follow him on Twitter @steeldad and follow the website at @SCBlitz. He can be heard Mondays on Trib-Live Radio at 730pm ET talking Steelers and is a blogger for ESPN 970 in Pittsburgh.
2 comments
One of the reasons why it’s time for a fresher perspective on The Defense. What’s the point of drafting Rd 1 talent if your not going to play them. It’s one of the reasons why I dont want them to draft a DL because they’re going to strip them down and not play them. Draft them & play them.
I’d love to Draft a starting CB but also understand that if a top Wr falls you can snatch him up as this team needs more playmakers.