5 positions Steelers must rebuild from the ground up in 2022
By Andrew Falce
Steelers need to rebuild off-ball linebacker
One of the most disappointing groups at the Steelers field in the season was their off-ball linebacker group. Devin Bush was supposed to be a returning hero after being lost for most of his second season, and the team traded for veteran Joe Schobert to be his running mate.
Unfortunately, neither player panned out and there’s a real chance that neither are starting on this team in 2022. Bush will likely make the roster based on his draft pedigree, but the team should bring in some competition. As for Schobert, is very likely to be a cap casualty.
This team has to do something at the off-ball linebacker group was one of the primary reasons his team fielded one of the worst run defenses in the league. Neither Bush nor Schobert were filling their gaps properly, and as a result running backs had open lanes to run through in this defense.
The team needs to find a new name to field there, and preferably a name that can easily fill gaps and play the run similar to Vince Williams before he retired.
Luckily for the team, the draft is filled with options that could fit this team in the second and third rounds. Darrian Beavers and Damone Clark are both realistic names in the second or third round for the team to draft. Both options are bigger guys, but both have exceptional athleticism and can develop into competent pass defenders.
As well, the team can add a free agent to start at the off-ball linebacker group. No matter who it is, this group needs to look vastly different than the group that was fielded during the 2021 season.
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The Steelers have a slew of holes entering the 2022 off-season. While they may not have the resources to fill every single one, quite a few of these positions need to be addressed and need to be addressed significantly. These five positions in particular scream positions that need to be rebuilt from the floor up. Expect quite a bit of turnover at each of these groups by the time the 2022 off-season has concluded.