The Pittsburgh Steelers went 10-7 in the regular season and advanced to the playoffs in 2023 but made another first-round playoff exit. The Steelers decided to flip their roster this offseason, as newcomers could make up more than 50 percent of it by the time they start team activities next month.
“We were sitting at home watching the Super Bowl, and that’s not where we want to be,” general manager Omar Khan said last month. “And I think we all share that frustration, and we know we all have to be better organizationally, every department in the organization.”
The Steelers are about $12 million under the cap, but their seven draft picks and 52nd and 53rd players (only the top 51 count in the offseason) will eat up just over $8 million. After the draft, they will likely add veterans at wide receiver and center, but the current roster will determine whether they are closer to being contenders.
Let’s look at each position group with the NFL Draft three weeks away.
Quarterback
Starter: Russell Wilson
Backups: Justin Fields, Kyle Allen
The Steelers weren’t looking to overhaul their quarterbacks unit, but that’s what happened. Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph are gone, and Wilson, Fields, and Allen enter a group now run by quarterbacks coach Tom Arth (previous QBs coach Mike Sullivan is now a senior offensive assistant).
Wilson became available for the league minimum, and Fields became an affordable option when Pickett requested to be traded. While Wilson will start, the Steelers will use the season to determine whether Fields can be a long-term answer.
Who knows whether Wilson remains a top-tier quarterback or whether Fields can turn into one, but the $5.6 million in cap space used on Wilson, Fields, and Allen means there’s little risk. And more importantly, the quarterback position should be much better than during the first 14 games of 2023.
Running back
Starter: Najee Harris
Backups: Jaylen Warren, Cordarrelle Patterson, Aaron Shampklin, Jack Colletto (FB)
Harris has quietly put together three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start his career, and the emergence of Warren (who topped 1,100 scrimmage yards last season) gives the Steelers the one-two punch to do what they want under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith — run the ball. Harris’ snaps dropped by 20 percent in 2023, but his production stayed nearly the same. Both are potent runners who can catch the ball out of the backfield.
The newly signed Patterson is mostly a kick return specialist, but he’s two years removed from totaling 1,166 yards from scrimmage out of the backfield. He gives the Steelers another receiving option at the position.
Wide receiver
Starters: George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III
Backups: Quez Watkins, Denzel Mims, Dez Fitzpatrick, Marquez Callaway, Duece Watts, Keilahn Harris
Pickens is on the verge of greatness, but at this point, he will have to do it alone. With the Steelers trading Diontae Johnson and releasing Allen Robinson, they are thin at the position heading into the draft. They added Jefferson and Watkins in free agency (Callaway before that and Mims late last year), but that’s not going to prevent teams from doubling Pickens like opponents did when Johnson was out last year.
Austin flashed during the preseason and sporadically during the regular season last year, but was mostly an afterthought. He will be asked to contribute a lot more this year with Matt Canada gone. Still, more work has to be done on the position, which will likely be addressed within the first two days of the draft, as well as free agency. It will be a massive issue for the offense and Pickens if they stay in the status quo.
Tight end
Starter: Pat Freiermuth
Backups: Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward, MyCole Pruitt, Rodney Williams
It’s the same group from last year, plus Pruitt, who played for Smith in Tennessee and Atlanta as an all-purpose blocker and receiver. Freiermuth hasn’t lived up to his lofty draft position yet, but you can make every excuse as to why — injuries, quarterback, offensive coordinator. The Steelers could decide to extend him before the season.
The rest of the group has players with different strengths. Washington didn’t have many catches as a rookie, but his blocking was top-level. Heyward’s usage wasn’t significant, which was a mistake. Williams burst onto the scene as an undrafted player who is an excellent special teams performer who can fill multiple roles on offense. It might be the most stable group on the team.
Offensive line
Starters: LT Dan Moore, LG Isaac Seumalo, C Nate Herbig, RG James Daniels, RT Broderick Jones
Backups: C Ryan McCollum, OT/G Spencer Anderson, OG Joey Fisher, OG Anderson Hardy, OT Dylan Cook, OT Kellen Diesch, OT Devery Hamilton
You can’t discuss the offensive line without first addressing the center position. When they decided to release Mason Cole in February, even the Steelers couldn’t imagine they would be heading into the draft with their most experienced center being Herbig, who has fewer than 60 snaps. Daniels could be an option but don’t bet on that. Anderson played a handful of games in college at center, and McCollum has been good enough to stick on the practice squad for a few years now. There is no question they want to add a tackle and center in the draft, but it is a matter of whether they can find a plug-and-play guy.
Moore is the perceived weak spot and will be a free agent next year. Still, the Steelers like him enough to keep him at left tackle for another year. However, the center position must be addressed within the next few weeks.
Defensive line
Starters: Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keanu Benton
Backups: Dean Lowry, DeMarvin Leal, Isaiah Loudermilk, Montravius Adams, Jonathan Marshall, Breiden Fehoko, Jacob Slade
You can never have enough depth along the defensive line, and the Steelers have accrued a lot. Now, whether that’s good depth is yet to be determined. Heyward, who will turn 35 in the first week of May, is coming off one of his worst seasons, missing six games and playing 39 percent of the defensive snaps, but you can blame that on a training camp injury, he had to fight through all year. His two sacks were his fewest since becoming a starter in 2013.
Ogunjobi is getting paid like a star but hasn’t been consistent enough, and Benton is a star in the making. Lowry, who arrived in free agency, combines Leal, Loudermilk, and Adams to provide some experienced depth. They are in a good spot, but time is creeping up on Heyward and Ogunjobi.
Inside linebacker
Starters: Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts
Backups: Cole Holcomb, Mark Robinson, Tyler Murray
The position went from the most significant question mark a year ago to a strength. Queen was one of the most critical free-agent additions and automatically solidified the position. Roberts was a low-key stud last year, bringing a tough-guy mentality.
Robinson didn’t take a step forward like expected, and the depth is questionable given the unknown status of Holcomb’s leg injury suffered midway through 2023. If Holcomb can come back this season, this group is set. If not, there needs to be an addition. Considering they were able to grab Kwon Alexander in training camp last year, that shouldn’t be a massive ask if required. But again, a three-down star like Queen takes a lot of pressure off everybody else.
Outside linebacker
Starters: T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith
Backups: Nick Herbig, Kyron Johnson, David Perales, Jeremiah Moon
There’s not much to see here. Watt and Highsmith combined for 26 sacks, playing over 80 percent of the snaps in 2023. Herbig can fill in for either, leaving the position in good hands. They added Moon from the Ravens, but he was a borderline roster player there.
Cornerback
Starters: Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson
Backups: Cory Trice Jr., Luq Barcoo, Kalon Barnes, Thomas Graham Jr., Darius Rush(slot), Josiah Scott (slot)
Porter is a star in the making, and Tomlin loves Jackson (trading Johnson for him), thinking the acquisition will make the position better than last year, even without Patrick Peterson.
After that, it’s sketchy. Trice has all the physical attributes but was a late-round pick who missed his entire rookie year with a knee injury. How much can they rely on him? The Steelers still don’t have a legitimate slot guy or depth on the outside. They are interested in a cornerback in the draft, but it looks more favorable that Peterson returns for a reduced salary to provide versatility.
Safety
Starters: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott
Backups: Damontae Kazee, Trenton Thompson, Miles Killebrew, Jalen Elliott, Nathan Meadors
The Steelers were devastated by injuries at safety a year ago with Fitzpatrick, Keanu Neal, and Kazee. (who was also suspended) missing games, so they added Elliott, a hard-hitting safety who provides something different from Kazee, in the offseason. Fitzpatrick is coming off a down year, with injuries a factor, but he’s still one of the best safeties in the game. Elliott and Kazee will allow the Steelers to use Fitzpatrick in more favorable playmaking situations.
Specialists
Starters: K Chris Boswell, P Cameron Johnston, LS Christian Kuntz, KR Cordarrelle Patterson, PR Calvin Austin III
Backups: KR Quez Watkins
The Steelers are paying their three primary specialists more than their three quarterbacks. That tells you how much they believe in this group. They re-signed Kuntz to a three-year deal and signed Johnston in free agency to solidify the punter spot. Patterson’s main job will be to return kicks. Austin is a dynamic punt returner, putting the Steelers’ special teams unit in a good place — without considering captain Miles Killebrew’s return. They need to find replacement gunners for James Pierre and Miles Boykin, but that won’t come from outside the current roster.
