The Steelers have some holes to fill at different positions and adding to the roster via trade might be their best option.
The Steelers seem to be an unfinished product now as they get closer to the regular season. The pre-season process is in full swing as we are just a couple of weeks away from training camp starting in Latrobe. The team should be active both on the free agency front and looking into potential trade deals.
There is some cap space for Pittsburgh to work with, but it seems like they might want to hang onto draft picks right now. The future of this club is important as the franchise is in a limbo state. No one is certain if they will rebound quickly or struggle for a little before rebuilding into a contender.
Looking into the trade market would still be a good idea if it can help your team now. They have too many holes to fill for them to ignore all their faults across the Steelers current roster build. Getting a player or two via trade should be an option for this team.
Offensive tackle is still a need for the Steelers
Offensive tackle is one of the major areas of concern for the Steelers that has not gotten much attention. The two starting jobs are cemented right now with Dan Moore Jr. and Chuks Okorafor on the opposite ends of the line. The depth behind them is scarce and should worry the coaching staff for this team.
The front office needs to get to work and see what kind of players are available out on the trade market. Tytus Howard is rumored to be available, and he would be a good option but the price to acquire him might be too rich. Getting a veteran with starting experience into the building to give better depth than Joe Haeg might be one of the most important on this list.
Outside linebacker/edge depth is very thin for the Steelers at the moment
The edge position is one of the most important spots on any defense in the NFL. They do a lot of different things that include getting after the passer and setting up a wall to stop the opposition’s running game. The Steelers have a star player now and another starter that is showing some nice promise.
T.J. Watt is coming off an NFL record-setting season after tying Michael Strahan for most sacks in a season. He missed a few games but still made history on his way to a Defensive Player of the Year award. Alex Highsmith showed to be a reliable starter opposite of Watt and has gained the right to that spot again in 2022.
Those two are not the issue with the outside linebacker position for Pittsburgh, it is what lacks behind them. There is little to no depth lurking in the shadows and if one of these starters miss time, that will make this defense crumble. They need a veteran player that would accept a third spot role for this defense and this club might be able to find that on the trade market.
Robert Quinn used to be one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL until he left the Rams. He had a couple of down years but had a nice rebound season with the Chicago Bears in 2021. The money would be a tough fit but having him or someone with his caliber would be perfect for this club.
Getting high-caliber linebackers in the middle of the Steelers defense is vital
The middle linebacker spot remains where most of the defensive “signal callers” stay on the field. They normally are the players making calls and getting their fellow teammates set up correctly before the snap is made. This is one of the most important communicative positions for a defensive player on the football field.
Right now, Devin Bush and Myles Jack enter training camp as the two starters for this defense. Both are coming off some down years and look to prove themselves to the NFL. They are also in different places in their careers now.
Looking for a trade might be the Steelers best option if they do not like what they see in the pre-season. They have time to evaluate their internal talent before looking elsewhere. They took a wait-and-see approach last year before acquiring Joe Schobert via trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That trade did not work out too well for the Steelers, but maybe getting someone like Eric Kendricks would do wonders. He is still young and can fly around the field, kind of what people expect Bush to be. His name has popped up in the rumor circles before and would be an interesting option for the black and gold.
Steelers need to trade for reliable depth behind Najee Harris
This is another major need of focus for the Steelers before the regular season begins. Najee Harris has now become one of the best running backs in the NFL, despite only playing behind a poor offensive line during his rookie campaign. The team tried to fix that issue during the offseason and hopefully, that will be mutually beneficial.
Now the club heads into another year without addressing the backup position at running back on this roster. Pittsburgh has continuously neglected to draft or sign talent behind their starters for a couple of seasons now. The need to get serious and add via trade or free agency so Harris does not get nearly all the carries again is very important.
Going into the 2022 schedule with the only backups being Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland would be a tough look. They have not proven much of anything for this offense and still have no real competition to go up against for their roster spot. The Steelers need to do something soon to get better depth behind their young star.
If their starter gets hurt, this running game will fail to exist anymore. Looking into a trade for a guy like Myles Gaskin would be a great idea. He is still young and costs nearly nothing for a player that can play in all instances on offense and compliment Harris nicely.
Cornerback needs some experienced depth behind their starters
The Steelers have turned a new leaf when it comes to their current situation at cornerback. They have let Joe Haden walk into free agency and got younger at the position. Cam Sutton will be back to guard the inside, but the two outside spots were question marks. They brought back Ahkello Witherspoon after he had a great showing at the end of the year.
Levi Wallace was another signing made in free agency to help secure the second starting outside spot for this defense. Both are still young and signed for cheap short-term contracts. It will be interesting to see how consistent they can be with elevated roles on the Steelers.
The depth behind the starters is what causes concern, some might even question if they should have challengers brought in for their starting gigs. Haden is still out there to be signed, but most people are reporting that reunion will not happen. Looking to the trade market and getting some experienced depth might be a good idea.
Greedy Williams is a cornerback that has not turned out well with the Cleveland Browns and could be acquired for cheap. He is still young and is a former second-round pick so there could be something to work with. Either way, he has some starting experience and could have some potential unlocked which would provide more than some of the depth on the team currently.
The Steelers need to get to work and add some more talent onto this roster soon. They only have a little longer before the regular season starts up and they have too many holes at the moment.