Steelers can’t afford to overvalue these positions in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to build the foundation of their roster during the 2023 NFL Draft, but overvaluing these three positions would be a mistake.
Due to the combination of pulling off a heist in the Chase Claypool trade and the fact that Pittsburgh is having a down season, the Steelers are set to have more high draft capital than they’ve had in my lifetime. In fact, it’s entirely possible that Omar Khan and Andy Weidl could have three picks inside the top 40 to work with next April when it’s all said and done.
This elite capital for the 2023 NFL Draft could go a long way in rebuilding the crumbling foundation of this team that has ridden the wave of success for so long. After a long drought without a playoff win and the worst season of Mike Tomlin’s career coming this year, it’s clear that this team could use some massive upgrades across their roster.
However, Pittsburgh needs to be careful not to overvalue certain positions of need — especially when picking as high as they could be in the first round of the NFL Draft. Here are three positions they shouldn’t place too much stock into next April:
Steelers can’t overvalue off-ball linebacker
As bad as Pittsburgh’s linebackers have been over the past few years (and they’ve been really bad), this front office still can’t afford to blow their top pick on an off-ball linebacker. It’s true that a Ryan Shazier-like linebacker can make a big difference to a football team, but those players are hard to come by.
History has shown us that teams who have spent first-round draft capital on linebackers typically don’t get their money’s worth. In today’s passing league, linebackers are somewhat becoming the running backs of the defense. There aren’t many who separate themselves from the pack and their shelf-life isn’t as long as other more important positions.
There’s no question the Steelers need to upgrade the linebacker position and I’m not sure if Devin Bush, Myles Jack, or Robert Spillane should even be on the roster next season. However, day two seems to be the sweet spot for drafting NFL linebackers, and Pittsburgh needs to be careful not to place first-round value on the position.