The AFC North seemed to improve this offseason, and these five new players should be giving the Steelers a reason to be scared.
Offseason change is a natural part of the NFL flow of things. Good teams see their top free agents depart for big money deals from the rest of the league. The goal during this time is to better your team as well as counteract the strengths of your divisional rivals. The AFC North was busy this year, as the Steelers’ three rivals added a slew of new talent that will seemingly improve their team.
What should the Steelers be nervous about?
While the Steelers won the division last season, times certainly appear to be changing. With the heavy losses sustained during the offseason, Pittsburgh is no longer the clear favorites to win the division. As well, each of the three other AFC North teams added quite a few intriguing players both in free agency and through the draft. Not all of these players scream doom for the Steelers. However, these five new additions seem like they will cause the team some problems during the 2021 season.
John Johnson III
A rangy free safety, John Johnson offers the Browns a new element that this defense has been lacking in recent seasons. He can play deep as well as cover receivers one on one due to his impressive coverage ability. While he missed the lone game that the Rams played the Steelers during his four-year tenure with them (he was on injured reserve in 2019), that doesn’t mean he isn’t a threat.
While not on the same level as Minkah Fitzpatrick, Johnson is a great player at taking away the deep middle of the field. Testing him isn’t wise either, as his eight career interceptions show just how dangerous it is to test him deep. He has the size to play strong safety as well, further adding to the value he brings to the Browns. While not an elite player, Johnson’s versatility and ball-hawking skills make him a threat that the Steelers will have to contend with.
Odafe Oweh
While drafting a player who recorded no sacks for his collegiate team in 2020 seemed like an unwise move, Odafe Oweh could become a major problem for the Steelers this season. As most know, Oweh posted some of the best testing ever for an edge rusher, as his speed and agility make him one of the freakiest athletes from this past draft.
Oweh is a classic athlete that isn’t a finished product quite yet. That said, if the Ravens can harness his skills as a pass rusher and develop his technique, he could become quite the defensive weapon. There is a level of projection there, but if he puts it all together then he could easily ascend as one of the best pass rushers in the game.
The real issue for the Steelers is the state of their offensive tackles. Chukwuma Okorafor is average at best, and while Zach Banner has quite a bit of potential, his bigger frame is built around being a mauler and less of a technician. If Oweh can develop even an average base of pass rush skills, he could easily beat either of these tackles. This is one of the cases where having Alejandro Villanueva would be a boost, as his ability to block pass rushers is far better than what the Steelers currently have.
Ja’Marr Chase
Of all of the AFC North teams, the Bengals had potentially the best offseason. While not making significant additions to the offensive line besides Jackson Carman (and Riley Reiff, although he is more on the downside of his career), the Bengals loaded up on defense. Frankly, this list could have been entirely comprised of Bengals players as the team appears set to make a leap next season.
One of the Bengals’ best additions to this team was Ja’Marr Chase. While he didn’t play in 2020 due to COVID, his 2019 season was one for the ages. Now, he is set to reunite with his quarterback from that season (Joe Burrow) and he enters a receiving core filled with young talent. Tee Higgins is an ascending player while Tyler Boyd is one of the most consistent slot receivers in the game.
Last year, this wouldn’t have been as concerning, as the Steelers’ secondary was far better than it is shaping up to be this year. Now though, the Steelers will only have two proven starters set to cover these three talented receivers. That means either Chase or Higgins will likely be facing off against James Pierre or whomever the Steelers start at outside corner when Cameron Sutton moves to the slot. While I’m as big of a Pierre fan as anyone, that still isn’t a good matchup. Chase should see plenty of appealing matchups this year, and he showed just how dangerous he could be with Burrow throwing him the ball.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
The Browns seemingly got a steal in the second round when they traded up for Notre Dame linebacker/hybrid Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Most projected him to go as early as the teens in the first round, but concerns about how you would play him seemed to deter teams. As well, the NFL saw just how poor a similar style of player was with no real plan to use the player properly, as Isaiah Simmons struggled last year as the Cardinals tried to figure out where to play him.
That said, Owusu-Koramoah has the physicality of a linebacker while also having the coverage ability of a safety. Last year with Notre Dame, he would regularly line up in the slot and win those matchups. Having a player of his size being able to move like that and cover at that level is a weapon any team would love to have.
While it is up to the Browns to properly use him, if they field a good defensive game plan, he could become a dynamic defender. His speed and playmaking ability as a defender should frighten the Steelers right now. While Najee Harris’s power makes him an intriguing matchup against Owusu-Koramoah in the run game, his calling card will ultimately be his coverage ability. Don’t be surprised to see him give opposing offenses fits this season in the passing game.
Mike Hilton
A name all of Steelers nation should be familiar with, and frankly, mourning the loss of, Mike Hilton is set to play in the slot for the rival Bengals this season. Similar to Owusu-Koramoah, he needs to be schemed properly, as Hilton’s strengths are his run-stopping ability and pass rush while his coverage is a bit weaker than the traditional slot cornerback. That said, he showed clear coverage improvement last season and could continue to make strides there this season.
Hilton was one of the best underdog stories for the Steelers, as he was signed as a futures guy who worked his way to starter after just one offseason. He plays with a tenacity that any defensive coordinator would love to have, and his loss will certainly be felt by the team. The Bengals have a dynamic weapon here that they will have to learn to use properly.
If they can though, having Hilton in their secondary would be a huge win for them. Getting to play the Steelers twice a year, he should know some of the offensive weaknesses and match up well against his former team when the two meet up. It comes down to the Bengals using him properly, but if they do, he could be the biggest weapon against the Steelers. It stung to lose him, and the wound may continue to bleed if he proves dynamic against his former team.
The AFC North had a busy offseason as each team took steps to try and improve their overall rosters. For some, their free-agent additions may prove fatal. Others nailed a draft pick that could haunt the team for years to come. These five new faces all have something to prove on their new team but could be a thorn in the Steelers’ side for the 2021 season.