With the NFL draft almost here, these four Steelers who are currently projected to start are easily the worst on the team right now.
The draft is a prime time for teams to add new talent and improve upon their rosters. While the Steelers roster is already relatively set, here are some obvious starters that can be improved upon. While all four of these players won’t be replaced in this draft, these are the positions that could be most improved upon once the draft starts.
Steelers OT Okorafor
Starting this list is a relatively average name, but one that is seemingly overpriced on his new deal. Chukwuma Okorafor has been the right tackle for the past two seasons, and while his overall play has improved, he is still nothing more than an average at best right tackle that struggles against the run.
I personally was surprised to see him return to the team on a deal that pays him around 10 million a season. While he can be a serviceable starter, the team could certainly do better. This is especially true when you consider the fact that the Steelers are shifting to a more run-centric offense. Okorafor doesn’t fit that mold, so his fit with the team is less than ideal.
That all said, there is little chance that Okorafor isn’t the starter this season. The amount he is getting paid means the team views him as a capable starter. On top of this, the Steelers haven’t been showing any interest in any top tackles in the class. Expect Okorafor to start this season even though his play has been average at best.
Steelers WR Boykin
The new toy for the Steelers offense, Miles Boykin is a potential laden option for a team that has lacked a consistent down-the-field threat. While it is natural to get excited over a player that has flashed before, fans need to pump the breaks when they are setting expectations for Boykin. He has failed to develop into a consistent target for the Ravens during his three seasons there and barely played last season to boot.
As of this writing though, Boykin is slotted in to start along the outside and likely push Claypool into the slot. While the Steelers seem locked into finding a capable receiver early in the draft, the same issue with safety is present for receiver. There are limited draft resources this year, and if a trade-up occurs, those resources get even scarcer.
There is a lot to like about Boykin as a depth player. He can provide a deep threat for an offense and can be a good special teams player on top of that. Penciling him in to be the third option in this offense isn’t smart though. Giving him a chance to make some plays in a new offense is fine but expecting him to suddenly be a plus starter in the league is nonsense. A better option still needs to be brought in.
Steelers IOL Cole
Easily the worst of the Steelers outside free agent signings, Mason Cole has had one ok season so far in his career. The rest of his time as a pro has been full of mediocrity, yet he landed a healthy-sized three-year deal and will seemingly start at either center or guard this year. Expecting his play to jump seems like an unwise move.
Cole was the definition of a mediocre starter while with the Cardinals after he was drafted. He started two of the three seasons he was there and never really found his footing, as he never ranked higher than a 58.4 according to PFF (and that rating came in his season where he served mostly as the reserve). He was traded to the Vikings last season and his lay did take a step forward to some extent.
That all said, it isn’t like Cole was suddenly playing elite football. Heck, he only started seven games last year as he still struggled to earn starter reps. Could last year have been a sign of things to come? It is possible, but expecting him to be anything more than an average starter seems unwise. That said, the Steelers haven’t shown much interest in the top interior options in the draft, so expect Cole to be the starter next year.
Steelers QB Trubisky
Don’t get me wrong, I was a fan of the Mitchell Trubisky signing when the deal was announced. The Steelers were obviously targeting a veteran quarterback, and he presented the most potential on the market while also being a relatively cheap addition.
Top backup quarterbacks earn 5-7 million dollars a season, which makes the Trubisky contract look like a bargain. Even if he hits some of those incentives, that is a sign that he is playing ok for the offense.
All of that said, there are some people that are clearly overhyping him and his fit with the team. While he should bring a better level of quarterback play than what we saw at the tail-end of the Ben Roethlisberger career, to expect him to suddenly be a top quarterback is silly. He flashed with the Bears but was an overall disappointment there. A season in a good Bills quarterback room likely helped, but that doesn’t mean he will suddenly be Josh Allen this season.
On top of this, the team is clearly weighing their options for finding their franchise quarterback in the draft. They may like the potential Trubisky brings, but they also realize the odds that his struggles as a starter continue. His deal was a good one, all things considered, but he still possesses a lot of question marks for this team. Don’t mistake him as the face of this franchise quite yet.
The Steelers did the best they could this offseason in addressing their needs. While for the most part, this roster has a capable starter in each position, there are still some holes that need to be worked on. These four starters in particular are easily the worst on the team, so keep them in mind as the team potentially tries to improve upon them in the upcoming draft.