The Steelers season is officially over, and with the offseason now here, these three things need to happen instantly for the team to have a successful 2023.
The Steelers season came to an end this weekend, and it was quite the up-and-down season. After an abysmal start, the team got more competitive against some lesser competition and turned their season around. They were never going to make a Super Bowl run, but the offense and defense showed some improvements down the stretch.
With the offseason now in full force, this team needs to be quick in making some aggressive moves to get this unit back on the right track. While there is a lot of work to be done, there are three things that should be the focus of the Steelers right now.
Steelers need to shop Trubisky
It hasn’t been the year that Mitch Trubisky or the Steelers wanted. Signed on the first day of free agency, Trubisky was quickly thrust into the starting role for this new Pittsburgh offense. That was until Kenny Pickett was drafted in the first round. While Trubisky was still the guy, his leash was short, and after some uninspiring games, he was benched.
The Steelers and Trubisky won’t be together past this season. Everyone knows that, making his trade value pretty low. That said, Trubisky had a lot of interest last season before joining Pittsburgh and he is on a reasonable deal for someone that would be seen as a potential starter. Other teams would likely be interested.
No, you aren’t getting a top pick for Trubisky, but even finding a mid or late-round pick for a player that has no desire to be here is a win. It leads to some cap relief for the team, and it could net another pick that this team desperately needs for its roster. That shopping process should start now.
Steelers must work on a Sutton extension
While the defense as a whole didn’t live up to the lofty expectations that they had in the offseason, this unit did have some bright spots. One of those came in the way of Cameron Sutton, who had his best season as a pro. While Sutton has been a regular starter on defense, he took his play to the next level this season.
While Minkah Fitzpatrick is the top dog in the secondary, Sutton was regularly the next-best player there. Even when the pass rush was less due to T.J. Watt’s injury, Sutton was still a viable player in the slot or along the outside.
With his contract voiding after this season, he is set to be a free agent once again. The Steelers need to make an aggressive push to bring him back. This means a competitive offer early, so there is a chance he opts to resign before testing free agency. There are quite a few players that should be brought back, and Sutton easily tops that list.
The Steelers must fire Canada
It was a horrible year for the Steelers offensive in 2022. Without Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, this offense was going to be a different unit than before. That said, there was some excitement with Matt Canada finally being able to run an offense with a quarterback that better fit what he had utilized previously.
It hasn’t been a good year for Canada, to say the least. This offense was a mess for most of the year and lacked any semblance of creativity. Even when this unit got better, it still struggled to move the ball and put up points consistently. I get it, this offense had a fair share of talent issues, but the playcalling and schemes are mediocre at best.
There are a slew of available offensive coordinators this offseason, and frankly put, the team can’t get much worse here. Canada has been an abysmal coordinator for this team, and he needs to go. There is no good reason for him to remain employed, and this team has to look in a different direction.
The Steelers season has been a roller coaster, but with it coming to an end against the Browns, the team needs to be proactive. This offseason is a critical one in reestablishing this team as a competitor. These three things are no-brainer moves the team can now begin working on.