The Steelers are under new management and that change could make new directions a priority in the near future.
The Steelers are starting a new era for the team as Mike Tomlin will now have a new relationship at the team’s general manager spot. Kevin Colbert has retired from the league after what seems to be a Hall of Fame worthy career at the helm of the black and gold for over two decades. Now a new person will have big shoes to fill as the club looks to stay competitive and chase Lombardi’s for many years to come.
Omar Khan is now the General manager for Pittsburgh after many years learning behind Colbert. Some were shocked by this hiring, but he was the most capable and knew what the black and gold represented. He will now have his regime under a microscope as he looks to become a worthy successor of Colbert’s era.
It will be a tough task, but things seem to be optimistic about the newly appointed boss in the front office. He has made some new hires and surrounded himself with some knowledgeable folks. Change is a good thing sometimes, but it leads to new outlooks for a franchise and those employed within.
Kendrick Green could become expendable for the Steelers
Kendrick Green is only entering his second year after being drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He started at center, which was a bold choice since he did not play that position often in college. He struggled throughout his rookie year, and many have counted him out already for the competition at starting guard or center.
Wither he starts at either spot will ultimately come down to the coaches. Khan will have the say when it comes to the potential future with Green. Both he and coach Tomlin will have to reassess this players position on the team and if it is time to cut ties with him and move on after 2022.
Tyson Alualu could lose his chance of returning with a youth movement
Tyson Alualu has been one of the better players for the Steelers in recent history when it comes to the team’s free agency signings. Many did not see the deal as being more than a depth move at the time, but this player has become a reliable starter for the defense. He has found a rejuvenation in his career at the nose tackle spot for this group.
Right now, this aging veteran is well past the wrong side of 30 years old and is entering his final season under contract with the black and gold. He could always be re-signed after the year concludes but that should not be taken for granted. Things will need to happen for this player before an offer is made.
The last time he was a free agent, many reported that he was going to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He could not make it down to Florida and had some time to contemplate his decision. He decided to sign with the Steelers instead.
Alualu will be turning 36 during next offseason and that could be a tough contract to iron out. He will need to show that he can still play affective starting snaps for this defense after his season ending injury during 2021. The younger players behind him like DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk, and Chris Wormley could all show that this veteran could be going in another direction from the club.
Diontae Johnson could be playing his last season with the Steelers
Omar Khan has not shied away from getting busy when it comes to locking up players long-term. He did just that with star safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick almost immediately after being elevated to his GM spot. That was a smart move then and now the Steelers still have other players currently sitting in their final year with the club.
Diontae Johnson is one of those players heading into a contract year and is seeking a new deal. He is asking for big money after this past offseason showed a giant boom with how much the position is making right now. The current rate for a star number one receiver in the NFL usually starts around the $20 million per year mark.
Pittsburgh has been neglecting that reality as they do not seem to want to go above $18 million per year for a top target on offense. Give Johnson credit, he is still showing up and putting hard work in to hopefully get rewarded. He has been rumored to be in trade talks, but that does not seem to be a reality now.
This marriage between player and the Steelers seems like it will go its separate ways after the season concludes. Johnson is a great receiver but giving him that kind of money could backfire for the team if he does not continue at his current production rate. Khan does not seem interested in paying a receiver the kind of money that this player is going to command.
Terrell Edmunds stays in a state of limbo with his contract future
Terrell Edmunds is entering his fifth season with the Steelers despite an interesting pathway of getting to this point. He was over drafted to start off his career coming out of college by being a first-round selection. Many saw him as a late day-two prospect that could develop into a starting safety in the NFL.
Pittsburgh felt comfortable taking him and many labeled him as a bust just a couple years into his career. The truth is that this strong safety has become one of the best at his position in recent years for the black and gold. That could be a Minkah Fitzpatrick affect as Edmunds seemed to have his game improve after the Steelers traded with for the star safety from Miami.
No matter if that is one of the reasons or not, this player has been able to rekindle his career and stack a couple nice seasons on top of each other. That allowed him to get ready for free agency where most NFL insiders thought that he would get paid handsomely for his efforts on the field. That situation did not play out and he began to sit in the open waters of free agency without a deal.
The Steelers gave him an offer to return and that is what Edmunds saw as the best opportunity for himself right now. It is kind of odd that he did not get paid the big bucks and Pittsburgh does not seem like they want to give him a big contract now or in the future. It could always happen, but it was a shocker he came back this year, it will be an even bigger shock if he returns in 2023.
Mitch Trubisky could be out of the starting job sooner than expected
The Steelers found themselves in an unfamiliar situation when Ben Roethlisberger retired. He was their starting quarterback for almost two decades and that brings some level of understanding and comfort with a future Hall of Fame quarterback starting for your team. He will not be back, and the club needed to find some options to hopefully replace him.
Mason Rudolph was the early favorite, but the offseason kicked him to the curb as the situation became more crowded. Mitch Trubisky was one of the most notable free agent signings for Pittsburgh and was deemed the starter once ink dried on his new deal. The draft came around and the black and gold selected Kenny Pickett to be the future at the position.
Right now, the veteran free agent signing seems to be the favorite to at least be the starter at the beginning of the upcoming campaign. Pickett will be nipping at his heals until he eventually takes over as the starter. It will be up to Trubisky to keep him at arm’s length by the results that he displays on the field.
Do not rule out the possibility of Trubisky being the starter for the Steelers for most of, if not all, the 2022 season. If the offense is running smoothly and the team is winning, then he will stay put. No matter the result, this veteran will have Pickett chasing him down until he eventually takes over as the starter.
The Steelers have a lot of impactful decisions to make about the future of this football club. There will be some big things to come over the next year that will help the front office evaluate their next move.