5 Key players who could be gone after 2020

Alejandro Villanueva

The Black & Gold could also lose their left tackle. The Steelers chose not to extend Villanueva before the 2020 season and that tells me that they are okay with moving on from him. Villanueva has been a solid left tackle for them for a number of years but he is starting to get up there in age.

As a 32-year-old, it might be better to let him walk and go with a younger option. My best bet is that Chukwoma Okorafor will become the left tackle in 2021 and then they will bring back Zach Banner to play right tackle. This team is in the process of getting younger on the offensive line.

I would also guess that their first-round pick in 2021 is an offensive lineman. They have a lot of guys who have played a lot of years and might be on their way out. I hate to say it with Pouncey, but it looks to me like his days in the NFL are getting numbered. He could try to play as long as Roethlisberger though.

Conclusion

The Steelers might be losing some key players but this team has done well with the next man up mentality. With a salary cap, every team has to reload with younger players every year. 2021 will be no different.

I could see Dupree, JuJu, Conner, and Mike Hilton being resigned but they can’t afford to sign all of them. They will need to replenish through the draft and might be able to add some pieces in free agency.