The Steelers have a new list of needs now that the majority of their free-agent moves have been made.
The Steelers had a laundry list of needs heading into this offseason, and with the brunt of free agency now over, the remainder of their needs will have to be filled in the draft. While this list has changed since the beginning of the offseason, a lot of these needs were here before free agency.
The team did their best to fill most of these, but with the lack of funds, it was hard to fill all of these. Here are the Steelers’ five top needs heading into the draft.
Not making the list
The first position that fans will point out is missing on this list is offensive tackle. Despite being one of the perceived biggest needs, a rookie would realistically play very little if drafted. Chukwuma Okorafor and the re-signed Zach Banner should comprise your starting offensive tackles while Joe Haeg will serve as the swing tackle. There is room for a fourth, but they would likely spend the season on the bench. The team can and should draft a tackle this year, but it should be on day three and as more of a developmental option.
Quarterback also doesn’t rank highly on this list, as the team already has three legitimate players there. With Ben Roethlisberger coming back for one more year, it would be silly for this team to go after a quarterback early. While a late-round addition is possible, this isn’t a pressing need right now. Next year will be another story.
Edge and safety depth were also considered here, as both positions aren’t deep right now. They were edged out by the fifth-place need as it is slightly more pressing than the others. That said, and especially with an edge, there is a clear need to add a body that can rotate in and serve as depth. With all of that said, here are the Steelers’ five biggest needs ahead of the draft ranked.