5 biggest positions of need for Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft

3. Steelers need a cornerback

Because of the projected state of the position next season, you could make a case that cornerback is the single biggest need on the team. However, there are still two others that I find even more pressing at the moment.

Joe Haden is very unlikely to return, as he hinted that this was his last season in Pittsburgh after talks of a contract extension fell through this past summer. In addition, Ahkello Witherspoon — who has had a few really nice performances in the second half of the year — is set to be an unrestricted free agent, and the Steelers will have to decide if they want to bring him back on a new deal.

Cameron Sutton, James Pierre, and Justin Layne each have one more year remaining on their current deals, but all three were very underwhelming this year, and none have progressed like we had hoped.

This happens to be an exceptionally good cornerback class, and I wouldn’t be floored if the Steelers addressed this as early as the first round. Pittsburgh desperately needs a number one cornerback to help this ailing defense next year.