Why the Steelers 2021 draft could be most important in decades

The Steelers 2021 draft may be the most important in decades for pretty simple reasons

First and foremost, let me just say that I believe every draft is important as it is a one-time event that comes around annually, so the pressure is on to make that particular draft the best draft we can make it. Sometimes that happens; other times the draft leaves a little bit to be desired.

With the status of Ben Roethlisberger, our franchise and future Hall of Fame QB, up in the air, as it were, I think the 2021 NFL draft may be the most important draft the Steelers have undertaken in decades.  I think the reasons are pretty simple, honestly.

As I have stated several times, I firmly believe that our best chance of winning another Super Bowl begins and ends with having ‘Big Ben’ as our QB.  No disrespect intended to any of our other QBs, but none of them are ‘Big Ben’.  Yes, ‘Big Ben’ had games where he didn’t play particularly well, but the same can be said for other players and the same can be said for the offense as a whole.

If it turns out that ‘Big Ben’ decides to retire or we can’t seem to figure out a way for him to play for us next season, which, by the way, would be a travesty, if you ask me, I am not suggesting that we spend our first-round pick on a QB.  I think we have more pressing needs right at the moment and we could potentially get a QB in the later rounds.

Frankly, in recent years, I think the Steelers have gotten away from the ‘best player available’ model of drafting.  We all know that some of our former first rounds picks did not quite pan out the way we had hoped, but that simply cannot be the case in this year’s draft.

The Steelers would be wise to approach this draft with the ‘best player available’ mentality

With players either coming up on the end of their contracts and with players who are set to hit the free-agent market, this may be the draft where we ‘re-tool’ as much as possible.  By taking the best player available, the Steelers may be able to ‘strike gold’ this year and be set up for the future.

If we draft for need, as has been the case for the last few drafts, in my opinion, we may find ourselves behind the rest of the AFC North Division in terms of acquiring the talent necessary to compete for not only the Division ‘crown’, but for the Lombardi Trophy as well.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that the 2021 draft is ‘do or die’, but it is important for us in the sense that we have never been big spenders in free agency. I don’t see the Steelers altering that approach any time soon, if ever.  With that understanding, it is vitally important to our efforts to draft well but also draft with an eye toward the future.

Drafting well also means drafting smart.  Let’s not take a CB in the first round because he’s fast; let’s not draft a Safety in the first round because we had a glaring need at that position.  Conversely, let’s take a RB when one who fits our scheme is there to take; let’s maybe take an ‘O-lineman’ or a ‘D-lineman’ when it’s good value to take either one as opposed to drafting a player because he went to a certain school.

Replenishing the talent at key positions makes this draft probably the most important in recent memory.  The Steelers don’t know how much longer ‘Big Ben’ or any other aging player has left, so why not approach it with the mindset that we’re all in and let the chips fall where they may?