3 Steelers positions that are clearly worse than they were a year ago
By Tommy Jaggi
The Steelers made some improvements this offseason, but here are three positions that are clearly worse than they were this time last year.
With nine picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to fix many of their gaping holes they entered the offseason with. The team finally found the franchise running back it had been searching for since the departure of Le’Veon Bell, and they may have found a competent tight end for the first time since Heath Miller. Pittsburgh also drafted a player they believe can be Maurkice Pouncey’s replacement at center.
Unfortunately, there were other important positions that were neglected this offseason. While it’s possible that some of the players at these positions could take a step forward in 2021, these three positional groups are clearly worse on paper than they were a year ago at this time:
Offensive tackle
For some reason or another, offensive tackle is a position that the Steelers have never really put a lot of emphasis on. Despite what analytics or the rest of the league thinks, Pittsburgh apparently just doesn’t value the position enough to spend elite draft capital on it. The team hasn’t taken a first-round offensive tackle since busting on Jamain Stephens back in 1996. Since then, they’ve taken just three tackles in the second round: Marvel Smith, Marcus Gilbert, and Mike Adams.
To me, this is a trend that needs to change. With Mike Munchak no longer around to develop offensive tackles, the Steelers need to spend more capital on this position. This offseason, the team lost their best offensive tackle in Alejandro Villanueva. To replace him, the team purchased a swing tackle in free agency in Joe Haeg and spend just a fourth-round pick on Texas A&M offensive tackle, Dan Moore Jr.
Now it looks like a struggling Chukwuma Okorafor is going to have to atmake the switch to left tackle in 2021, while Zach Banner – who has two career starts by the age of 27 – will man the right tackle position. This is very much an unproven group with less talent than it had just a year ago.