State of the Franchise: Steelers Edition

Welcome to the first edition of our new series called State of the Franchise (inspired by NFL.com). In this edition, jayport will be taking an in depth look at the Steelers roster, offseason moves, and of course, the NFL Draft (April 27-29).

Before we get started on analysis, let's get some key information out of the way so you can have it for reference as you read.

Steelers Draft Picks (Rounds 1-4):

Round 1 Pick 17

Round 2 Pick 32

Round 2 Pick 49

Round 3 Pick 80

Round 4 Pick 120

Key Offseason Acquisitions/Departures:

Signed:

OG Isaac Seumalo

DL Larry Ogunjobi

LB Cole Holcomb

CB Patrick Peterson

Departures:

LB Myles Jack (cut)

CB Cam Sutton

Analysis:  

Ok, let's start. The Steelers are an interesting organization - they just consistently find a way to be good and make it work. Even though I don’t like the Steelers, I must admit that Mike Tomlin is one of the best and most consistent head coaches in the NFL. Regardless, in the past 2-3 years the Steelers defense has been the biggest reason they have been so good. Players such as Le'veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Juju, and Big Ben ONCE made up an aggressive and decisive Pittsburgh Steelers offense that terrorized defenses. However, fast forward to today and none of those players are on the team and ¾ aren’t in the NFL. Last season the Steelers offense was riddled with inconsistent play throughout the season. Whether it was the growing pains of rookie QB Kenny Pickett or the infuriating play calls made by Matt Canada, the Steelers offense was completely dysfunctional at times. With that being said, they still almost managed to make the playoffs, a remarkable feat. However, to achieve sustained success improving the offense should be the main priority this offseason. The Steelers have already taken steps to do this. In particular, the addition of former EAGLES guard Isaac Suemalo addresses a key need along the offensive line. Seumalo was an integral part of the success that the EAGLES had running the ball last season and will fit nicely into the Steelers offense. It is an understatement to say that the offensive line has been underwhelming for the Steelers. Let's put some numbers to this: Najee Harris, one of the best backs in the league when healthy, only managed to average a dismal 3.8 yards per carry. To fix the offense the Steelers MUST try to fix the run game. There are 2 reasons for this claim: first off, running the ball is essential in setting up the pass (through play action and play fakes), and secondly, running the ball effectively is the single MOST important thing a team can do to take pressure off of a young QB. Therefore, I believe that the Steelers should target the offensive line at some point in the draft. There are several intriguing prospects that could fill a key need on the Steelers offensive line including tackle prospects by the name of Paris Johnson, Broderick Jones, Peter Skoronski or even guard O’Cyrus Torrence. Additionally, there are many viable options in later rounds. That being said, in my latest mock draft, I predicted the Steelers taking CB Devon Witherspoon. If a stud corner falls to that pick, I wouldn’t hesitate to take one. The Steelers did sign veteran Patrick Peterson, but Peterson is old and will only be serviceable for so long. If the Steelers do elect to address another position besides offensive line in round 1, I believe they should look to address the position either in the 2nd or 3rd round. It is essential for them to continue to build around Kenny Pickett in order to assess whether he is the guy for the future. Regardless of whom they choose to draft, the Steelers are on the right track and with ample draft capital it is scary what they can be in the next couple of years.

Thanks for reading this first edition of State of the Franchise. If you have any suggestions please feel free to let me know - I’m always trying to provide the best and most relevant information. As always, let me know what you think of my takes.

@jayport