Re-evaluating Pittsburgh Steelers biggest positions of need in the new year
By Tommy Jaggi
2. Off-ball linebacker is a must
Spending elite draft capital on off-ball linebackers grinds my gears. Anymore, they are somewhat like the running backs of the defense. They have a short shelf-life and taking them in the first round typically backfires.
However, I don’t mind if the Steelers have to throw a day-two pick at a linebacker this year. In fact, that would probably be a good idea. Devin Bush hasn’t been worth a fraction of the draft capital Pittsburgh spent to acquire him, and he has an expiring contract. While I wouldn’t mind the team bringing him back at the right price, he may not want to be here.
Meanwhile, Myles Jack is set to be one of the most overpriced linebackers in all of football next season. His $11.25 million cap number in 2023, per Over the Cap, is impossible to justify, and the Steelers could save $8 million by releasing him in the offseason. Robert Spillane is also set to hit the free agent market.
Even if Khan managed to get back all three linebackers at a reasonable price, none of them should even be considered average NFL starters. The Steelers certainly need to upgrade the off-ball linebacker position.