Steelers Are Six Players Away From Being In Super Bowl
The Steelers made the playoffs for the first time in two years this season, and many thought they would be contenders to go deep in this year’s playoff bracket.
An awful Wild Card game against the Ravens sent them cleaning out their locker rooms much sooner than players and fans wanted, but you have to admit that this season was certainly an upswing compared to 2011-2013.
But, just how close are the Steelers to making the Super Bowl?
ESPN and Pro Football Focus combined forces recently and published a massive article revealing each team’s “contender factor,” strengths v. weaknesses, and what they pieces they need in order to get there.
It’s a little convoluted (shocker!) on how these two sites actually worked together. It looks more like PFF was there for the grades and math, and ESPN Scott Brown was there to give his take on what works for the Steelers and where the problems reside. Nowhere does the Steelers page actually list the positions or players needed to fulfill PFF’s Myan-like math.
PFF once again misses the mark on some players, and I will have to agree with Brown on his video commentary. They rank LT Kelvin Beachum as ‘good’ while letting RG David DeCastro sit amongst the ‘average.’ As Brown points out, Le’Veon Bell‘s best YPC numbers came when he ran to the left (6.1), meaning DeCastro pulled. DeCastro is one of the best in the NFL at pulling, and PFF fails to really take that into account.
I would also argue that Mike Mitchell does not belong in the average category either.
Brown points out the obvious – the secondary is in shambles, the offense is the best thing going for the Steelers, Cortez Allen is a damn thief with that contract of his.
So, just who (or what) are the six players the Steelers need in order to become Super Bowl contenders?
The defense needs major work, we all know this. Realistically they need two corners and a safety. Shamarko Thomas will take over next season after Troy Polamalu hangs up the cleats (or at least should). He is not factored into PFF’s breakdown because they are basing grades off of players who participated in at least 250 snaps – which Thomas did not in 2014.
I think Thomas will fall within that ‘good’ (or just slightly above average) very early on in his starting role. So, we can check that need off the list for now. The team still needs two corners and will get those in free agency and the draft. Yes, they need to utilize both in order for that to be successful.
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Next, the Steelers really need to address the TE position. Miller has lost a step in his age and had some uncharacteristic drops late in the season in 2014. Matt Spaeth and Michael Palmer could become UFA’s. This offense needs a joker TE that Todd Haley can utilize as both run blocker, pass protector, and pass catcher. That makes three.
James Harrison more than likely won’t return for the Steelers, and even if he does, there’s no guarantee if he will be good or average. The Steelers need depth at OLB. Period. Worilds, Jones, Harrison are all they really have – one is the Milk Carton Kid, one is injury prone, and one will be 37 by the time the season rolls around. That makes four.
Depth at defensive line is another area that needs bolstered with ‘good’ players and dumping the ‘bad’ one(s). DE Cam Thomas was almost a bigger waste than Mike Mitchell (I said almost). Stephon Tuitt began getting the snaps he desperately needs to get better, and will soon become a ‘good’ DE. They need depth and they need Daniel McCullers to really step up at NT and be the mountain to anchor the front-3. We’ll call that one-half.
They need a back up running back, so we’ll call that the other half.
Seems rather sensible to consider the Pittsburgh Steelers are only about four to five players away from being Super Bowl contenders. They might be able to find a couple in the draft and through free agency. Some of the younger guys previously mentioned could begin to fill the roles they were brought on for.
And, that’s not me polishing off my rose-tinted glasses either.
Take a look at the entire document ESPN/PFF published, and take it for what you will. Besides, they did rank the Browns as 7th and only needing five players to be Super Bowl contenders….