With the Steelers needing a roster update, here is a condensed five-step plan for how the team can rebuild during the 2022 offseason.
The Steelers roster is hitting an all-time low in terms of talent and play right now. There isn’t a lot going right now, and even though the team is still technically competing for a playoff spot, this team isn’t great. 2022 will likely signify the rebuild that has been long overdue for this squad. Luckily, the Patriots have proven that a rebuild doesn’t have to take a long time, as they successfully did it in two seasons.
Pittsburgh has to start this process next year, and here is a five-step process for the team to follow to get their rebuild off to the right start.
Steelers first step: Get some fresh ideas
One of the hardest elements to watch on game day with this team is their utter lack of creativity on offense and defense. This is due to a combination of things, as the coaching, player quality, and significant injuries have greatly hampered this team. This has to change next season, as the team can’t go into 2022 with a similar plan as 2021.
While the team can’t purge every coach, looking for a new defensive coordinator and an experienced offensive line coach is a good start. While many are calling for Matt Canada’s head, don’t expect to see him be one and done with the Steelers. As well, giving him an offense with some more mobility than what he has now could do him wonders.
Considering his contract, Mike Tomlin will be the coach once again, but the team could see a new general manager enter the picture if Kevin Colbert retires. Don’t expect a huge name to be added there though, as the team has seemingly been grooming Brandon Hunt as the next GM. That said, he can ideally offer some fresh ideas to the offseason and draft process. While the changes here won’t be drastic, adding some fresh faces and new ideas to the coaching staff is a must to get this rebuild going.
Steelers second step: Trim the fat
This is where the rebuild really gets underway. The Steelers roster is filled with players that need to be moved on from in 2022. It would be one thing if they were set to compete for a Super Bowl, but they aren’t. Instead, a rebuild demands that older and overpaid talent be released in favor of younger ones that can be developed.
When attacking this roster, the moves that are made shouldn’t just be concerned with how they will impact 2022, but more so how they will impact the 2023 roster. This means that if the team doesn’t think the player will be around in 2023, they can try to trade him or cut him. The same goes for their pending free agents, as those that aren’t deemed long-term fits can be allowed to walk in free agency.
Names like Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Haden, and Tyson Alualu should all be moved on from given their age. Players like Joe Schobert and Zach Banner could be put on the trade block and potentially even cut in order to make way for younger options. Even younger players who aren’t performing up to what the team hoped for like Devin Bush could be dealt in order to make room for other players.
This doesn’t mean the Steelers have to cut or trade all of these names. If they don’t find any suitors in a trade, they can be kept as their contracts don’t break the bank and at least carried through camp. That said, this roster should see a considerable amount of turnover this offseason. That hurts their odds to succeed in 2022, but it frees up more cap space to make some smart moves in both 2022 and 2023.
Steelers third step: Make smart free agent moves
While the desire to attack free agency and go after the top names will always be there, time and time again teams have proven that the best long-term way to succeed in this league is by making smart decisions in free agency and not breaking the bank. Even if the notably frugal Colbert retires, the team shouldn’t become a top spender in free agency next offseason.
Even with an estimated 44 million dollars in cap space next offseason, money will have to be set aside for re-signings and the draft class. That said, the Steelers should have more money than usual to work within 2022. They don’t need to go on a spending spree, but one or two quality guys that can start for a few years makes sense here. There are a few names that make sense, but the team should target positions that they haven’t had success in drafting before.
A cornerback and safety would make a lot of sense here. As would a transitional quarterback that would fit well into the offense. Those three signings along would likely take up most of the Steelers salary cap space. Anything left can go towards some mid-tier guys (think Joe Haeg type of contracts) and minimum-salary players who get a shot at the roster.
The goal in 2022 should be quantity more so than quality. Yes, the one-three top free agents they bring in will have to be good players that can contribute for two or more seasons but adding in as many young and cheap options to provide roster flexibility is key. This opens up the draft more as well as gives you a roster of young and hungry players that are looking to earn a bigger contract. While 2022 will feature a rotating cast of players at some positions, the hope is that you can pull together a full season and find a gem or two along with the top players that were signed.
Steelers fourth step: Go the best player available in the draft
The Steelers claim that every year they attack the draft with a “best player available” approach, yet they are almost always drafting to fill a designated need. Next year should be different though. The team won’t be in a position to draft a top player in the draft, so they should instead see who falls to them and try and grab the best player on their board.
Normally, with a team that wants to win immediately, the draft should be used to fill any remaining needs. More than likely though, the Steelers will still have a plethora of needs to fill by the time the draft rolls around. If that’s the case, the picks the team has should be used on the players that they feel have the best shot at having a great career, even if it isn’t at a position of top need.
Obviously, this method does have some exclusions. The team shouldn’t use a pick on a top running back due to Najee Harris nor should they spend a top pick on a pure free safety since Minkah Fitzpatrick has that job locked down. The same could be argued for a tight end, although that is less secure. Looking at the draft as it is though, neither of these positions are top first-round talents though.
Outside of that, every position can and should be on the board in the first round. A great interior lineman falls; Snag him. A top defensive lineman; draft him. Edge rusher, receiver, defensive back, off-ball linebacker; easy picks. At this point, this draft shouldn’t be centered on filling immediate needs. It should be crafting as talented of a base roster in order to field a rookie quarterback and address any remaining needs in 2023.
Steelers fifth step: Keep an eye out for 2023
While I have mentioned this multiple times throughout this post, any move the Steelers make in 2022 should be geared towards success in 2023. Given how many holes the team has on the roster, there is almost no shot that Pittsburgh is competitive in 2022. That means rookies and free agents that are added should be added with their fit with the team in the future in mind.
This doesn’t mean the rookie class won’t play. In fact, the Steelers should see their 2022 rookies get a plethora of work as has the 2021 class. It won’t yield immediate results, but it will allow for the young players to get a lot of experience in their first year and set them up for better success in the future. The goal should be to have a young and upcoming roster by 2023.
Once that offseason hits, the focus then comes to filling in those remaining holes. The team should, in theory, be flush with cap space so the focus would be on filling the holes that were left. Those needs wouldn’t be determined until that offseason, but reasonably spending whatever cap space the team has would prepare them for the final stretch in their rebuild.
Assuming most of the holes are filled, the entire draft should be focused on finding the next quarterback. The draft pick earned from a lackluster 2022 would likely be a top-15 pick, which would put them in a good spot to take a quarterback. Even if it required a trade-up, having a pick that high would mean the draft capital to move up wouldn’t be as bad. This means, by the end of the 2023 draft, the team should be back in a position to be competitive.
A rebuild is always nice in theory, but it has proven to be an extremely hard thing for most teams. It requires good free agency classes and even better draft classes in order to complete. That said, this basic blueprint is a good start for what the Steelers could do once they decide to officially begin their rebuild in 2022.