4 takeaways from the Steelers pathetic showing vs Bengals

The Steelers have serious holes to fill in 2021

There has been a lot of talk about the Steelers having to fill a major hole at quarterback next year with the likelihood of Ben Roethlisberger retiring. While his regression over the past two years has limited the offense, it is very clear that this team has more needs than just a quarterback. Even if the team can pick a top quarterback in the draft, the team around him will be setting him up to fail.

Just about every spot on the offensive line will be up for grabs, the team could use a receiver or two (specifically one that has elite speed) and the depth at tight end is questionable. The defense is no better, as a nose tackle, strong safety, and cornerback will all likely need new starters next season. Add in Bush’s struggles and the team may have to look there as well. Drafting a quarterback doesn’t lead to instant success as the holes elsewhere on the roster will limit whoever is under center in 2022.

This is why targeting a veteran is a smart idea for 2022. It won’t yield elite results, but it should give the Steelers a capable starter as they add talent to the holes that they have on the roster. With limited draft capital that is ever-shrinking with the comp picks potentially decreasing in both value and amount, it will be hard to fill every void next year. This team has a few lean years ahead of them before things will get better.

It was a horrible showing by the Steelers this week, and the takeaways moving forward aren’t trending in the right direction. Both in the short term and the long term, the team has some serious questions they will have to answer. The future certainly doesn’t look great for the Steelers.