Top 2018 offseason priorities for the Pittsburgh Steelers
By Edward Hunt
It’s a fun and exciting time for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But a stressful time as well.
The Steelers have a number of things they have to do to get ready for another Super Bowl run this year. Lets have a look at what they are:
Sign Le’Veon Bell Long-Term
The Steelers have placed the franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell and some are speculating that now they could be done negotiating. The Steelers restructured the contract of Antonio Brown recently and that could be an indication that the Steelers are close to a deal with Le’Veon Bell.
He is probably the best back in the league and him being paired with Antonio Brown makes the Steelers one of the most difficult offenses to defend.
Find a MACK Linebacker
Ryan Shazier is not going to be playing football this year and that leaves a big opening at the MACK inside linebacker position. This is a key role in the Steelers being able to cover tight ends and running backs.
This is also important from a run-stopping perspective which at times was an issue for the 2017 Steelers. They won’t be able to replace Ryan Shazier, but it would be nice to get a veteran free agent who can handle his responsibilities as a linebacker.
More from Still Curtain
- Steelers news: Matt Canada outrage continues, Ravens OC losses resigns, and more
- Steelers should lure Byron Leftwich onto their coaching staff
- 4 reasons Steelers are making a mistake keeping Matt Canada
- Steelers Twitter continues to blow up over decision to keep Matt Canada
- Retaining Matt Canada is an idiotic choice for the Steelers
Hold onto some restricted free agents
There are a few restricted free agents that the Steelers ought to tender to hold on to key pieces. The first one is Chris Boswell which is hopefully a player they get a long-term deal done with.
Another is Anthony Chickillo who is a valuable reserve and special teams player. Eli Rogers still has a valuable role to play on this team as a punt returner and slot receiver.
I also would like to see Fitzgerald Toussant brought back to camp for his versatility as a special teamer and backup running back.
Redo Ben Roethlisberger’s Contract
There are two things that can be accomplished by redoing Roethlisberger’s contract. The first is to add a third year which the Steelers would like for him to come back for. The second is to move some of that base salary into guaranteed money so that they will have more money to spend under the cap.
Replace Mike Mitchell on some level
Mike Mitchell’s game is not what it used to be and so the Steelers need to have a succession plan for him. They could possibly cut him and sign a free agent for cheaper or they could hold onto him but hope that they get an eventual replacement in the draft.
The Steelers wanted to draft a safety last year; so, it becomes more important this year.
Bring back some Familiar Faces to Camp
There are a few guys that are unrestricted free agents that would be nice to come back to camp. The first is Arthur Moats. Although he does not bring much in terms of special teams, he is a good player to have in your clubhouse for training camp even if you don’t intend to keep him for more than a year.
Another is Justin Hunter. He was a decent red zone target and the team needs bodies at wide receiver with Eli Rogers hurt.
The third name I would bring back is Dan McCullers. If you can’t draft a replacement, at least he is a guy who knows the system.
Have a Stellar Draft
You always have to have fresh blood come in every year if you want to stay competitive in the NFL. Some positions I would like to see drafted are inside linebacker, safety, outside linebacker, wide receiver and interior offensive line. They also may need to add a running back if the Le’Veon Bell deal doesn’t get done.
Next: 3 free agents the Steelers could sign
As the offseason gets underway, expect the Steelers to be in the headlines until camp. This team has plenty of decisions to make and are only a few solid moves away from a Super Bowl. This offseason, they’ll look to finish this roster.