With the Steelers officially in off-season mode, here is a ranking of every position based on the team’s needs there in 2023.
The Steelers have a lot of work to get done this offseason, as their current roster is riddled with needs and is lacking star power. Luckily for them, they are a team with decent draft capital and a healthy amount of cap space. That said, they need to be prioritizing certain areas of their roster over others.
I wanted to try and rank every non-specialist position on the roster based on need. The criteria here is simple: I’m looking at the current state of the roster including those that are free agents and/or likely cuts and weighing the strengths and weaknesses of the position to the others on the roster. With that said, here is every Steelers position ranked based on need.
Steelers position of need #12: RB
Need level: Luxury additions
The strongest position on the depth chart right now, the Steelers have a pair of capable running backs at the helm, and frankly, it’s hard to see much of a need here because of that. Sure, they may be in the market for a new fullback, and finding a back with some speed would be nice, but if Pittsburgh entered 2023 with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, they would be just fine.
The team will round out this roster with a potential new third back (although it is possible Benny Snell sticks around on the cheap) and a new face at fullback, but overall, prioritizing this group would be a mistake. They have a good one-two punch, and that is all that they will really need here.
Steelers position of need #11: TE
Need level: Luxury additions
I almost put a tight end as the least-needed spot (despite a lot of people clamoring for the team to invest in a tight end early in the draft). Pat Freiermuth is quickly becoming a top player at the position, Zach Gentry is a steady second option that can block, and Connor Heyward proved to be a versatile weapon for this offense.
The reason it ranks slightly higher than running back is twofold. For starters, Gentry is set to be a free agent this offseason. While bringing him back should be in the plans (if not, I will be far too sad to see him walk), he isn’t a lock to return. If he walks, the team will need a new backup option.
Secondly, I can see a world where the team is open to using Heyward as a combo tight end and fullback given his size. He shouldn’t only see snaps at fullback, but if the team wants to use him there, I would be fine with it. That would leave the door open for a fourth tight end to be on the roster to fill out the room. Still, this position is pretty set heading into 2023.
Steelers position of need #10: QB
Need level: Fill out the backups
For better or for worse (and those of you that know me know my expectations aren’t that high), Kenny Pickett is going to be the starting quarterback for the Steelers. They aren’t drafting someone to replace him, and they aren’t going to add a huge free agent that will contend for the starting role.
What they do need is backups though, as the cupboard is bare behind Pickett. Mason Rudolph is likely counting down the seconds until he can sign with a new team, and odds seem slim that Mitchell Trubisky will be back given his cap hit and lack of a future with this team. Finding a stable veteran will be key.
There are quite a few names hitting free agency that makes sense. These guys can come in if there is an injury and mentor Pickett in the meantime. As well, a third quarterback will also be needed, as this team rarely goes into a season without three passers. That said, with Pickett so firmly entrenched as the starter, this isn’t a huge need compared to the rest of the roster.
Steelers position of need #9: S
Need level: Need a SS
I almost placed safety one spot up, but ultimately, I think this position can be figured out relatively easily. Minkah Fitzpatrick is entrenched in this defense and is one of the best secondary defenders in the NFL. Terrell Edmunds and Damontae Kazee provided the team with three versatile and talented safeties to work with.
Both Kazee and Edmunds are set to be free agents, and if neither of them returns, this secondary would be in trouble. That said, Kazee’s market won’t be huge given his age and Edmunds seemingly wants to play in Pittsburgh. I’d have to think this team will get at least one of these players back for 2023.
It would be nice to get a rookie back here as well, but given the other needs on this roster, it doesn’t seem likely. If the team gets both Kazee and Edmunds locked up, this position will easily be one of the best on the team. That said, there is still a chance that the strong safety spot becomes an issue for the Steelers.
Steelers position of need #8: EDGE
Need level: Please get a capable backup
On the surface, the Steelers don’t have a clear need at edge rusher. T.J. Watt is arguably the best edge defender in the league and Alex Highsmith just enjoyed a breakout season. The depth behind them is the issue, as the team has rotated through various different uninspiring names but has failed to find a capable third option.
The team almost had a good thing going there with Melvin Ingram, but he felt like he should have a larger role and was traded last season. Names like Taco Charlton, Derrek Tuszka, and Malik Reed have all failed to provide the team with a good third option. Even when both of the pass rushers are healthy, a third body can rotate in and keep everyone fresher in a game.
The pass rush almost disappeared after Watt went down with his pectoral injury. Offenses schemed themselves to throw additional blocks toward Highsmith and Cameron Heyward. Having a third edge rusher doesn’t fix not having Watt, but it can make an injury more bearable. The team should spend some money on a reasonable third edge rusher in free agency.
Steelers position of need #7: IOL
Need level: Would love an upgrade but not necessary
Yes, I have the Steeler interior offensive line in the back half of the needs for the team. Sue me.
In all seriousness, while fans love to lazily say the offensive line is the biggest need for this team, it really isn’t. When you break this group into interior players and tackles, the guards and centers really aren’t in that bad of shape. The only real weakness there is Kevin Dotson.
Am open to the Steelers replacing Dotson this year? Absolutely, because if they can find a more long-term solution at guard they need to take it. That said, if a better option never materialized in free agency or the draft, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. The unit could get by with another season of Dotson starting.
What could be really sneaky is the team targeting a center. I’m not saying it is locked into happening, but it could work out that way with most top center prospects looking like day two picks. No, that doesn’t mean Mason Cole is cut or benched, as he can easily slot in at guard. All of that said, this is more of a luxury need than a desperate one.
Steelers position of need #6: NT
Need level: No great option at an under-utilized position
Nose tackle is a really hard position to grade on this needs list. On one hand, this team hasn’t had a dependable player here since Javon Hargrave left the team, but on the other hand, this is one of the lesser-used positions on the field. The Steelers employ a traditional nose tackle on roughly a third of their defensive snaps.
The team is set to have Montravius Adams back in the second year of his deal, and he is a pretty below-average option there. That said, for a player that is only going to see 300-400 snaps a season, you could arguably do worse. Realistically though the team needs to find an upgrade here sooner than later for a struggling run defense.
Personally, I would target a capable nose tackle somewhere on day two or three of the draft, preferably in the third or even fourth round. They can compete with Adams and ideally replace him early on. We could target a free agent, but that will get pricey for, again, a player that is only on the field a handful of snaps. The team is certainly lacking here, but it isn’t a huge need given the lack of usage here.
Steelers position of need #5: WR
Need level: Time to restock the cupboards
The Steelers are in an unusual spot at receiver. For years, this team seemed to have a stable crop of receivers ready to step up and play, but that is no longer the case for the position. While George Pickens has the makings of an elite player, there isn’t anything certain about the group beyond him. Even if Diontae Johnson sticks around, this team still needs more players to target in the passing game.
For anyone claiming that Calvin Austin will solve these issues, you can’t count on that. He was a fourth-round receiver and is incredibly undersized. This leaves the Steelers without a dependable slot receiver and lacking options for depth as well. The team needs to surround Pickett with some more talent in 2023.
Frankly, I think both a free agent and a rookie are brought in to round out this unit, with at least one of them being a traditional slot player. That would give the team five players likely to make the roster. Add in a Steven Sims or a Myles Boykin as the special team’s player and sixth option and suddenly this group looks a lot better. That said, there is a lot of work to be done with this group.
Steelers position of need #4: OT
Need level: Let’s actually invest here
The Steelers offensive tackle room has become a mediocre unit over the past few years. The investments haven’t been great, and while they have two capable options right now, neither are truly great tackles in this league. Add in the price tag of Chukwuma Okorafor and there is a good chance the team will need at least one brand-new starter for the position.
Again, like the interior of this line, the need at tackle is slightly overrated (albeit far more justified). If the team carried Okorafor and Dan Moore as the starters in 2023, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. It is high time this team actually invests in their tackles though, and it would do wonders in aiding Pickett’s development.
If you’ve followed along with my writing, I’m all for cutting Okorafor and adding at least one dependable starter to the tackle room via free agency. From there, I would look to draft or sign another tackle that can compete with Moore. The team has options here, but there should be some work done to better this unit.
Steelers position of need #3: CB
Need level: Potentially desperate
The Steelers have had a pretty poor run of cornerback rooms for most of the seasons past 2010. While the combo of Steven Nelson, Joe Haden, and Mike Hilton was a refreshing group, it was a short-lived trio. The group isn’t a disaster, but it lacks a top name, and the top player of the group, Cameron Sutton, could very likely have played his last down with the team.
As much as I like James Pierre and Levi Wallace, neither of them are top options that can consistently take on a team’s best wideout. You could argue the same thing for Sutton, but he proved this season he is a great starter. If he is retained, this need drops, as the team could draft a developmental outside cornerback and run with it.
If Sutton isn’t retained though, this group is suddenly an even bigger wreck. There won’t be a capable slot cornerback rostered and the need for a top outside option will have only grown. No matter what the group likes before the draft, a rookie is a sensible addition. That said, this could easily grow into one of the biggest needs for the team.
Steelers position of need #2: DE
Need level: Who else besides Cam?
The Steelers defensive line as a whole is barren right now. Despite being a deeper unit this past season in terms of depth, the group is lacking a true star besides Heyward. Larry Ogunjobi was supposed to fill that role, and while he wasn’t horrible, his play certainly wasn’t star quality. Moving forward, the depth here is very much in question.
The only potential light here is DeMarvin Leal. The third-round rookie was a versatile weapon for this team, and while he didn’t light up the stat sheet, he looked the part of a good NFL player. The issue is, he is almost positionless. The team lined him up as an end, inside, and even as an edge rusher on occasion. While I think Leal has a good future as a chess piece, I don’t think he fits the mold of a traditional end for this team.
This is a unit that needs to be invested in during 2023. That could come by way of a bigger free agent or by an early draft selection to help this group out. Heyward is a great player, but age is going to catch up with him sooner than later. The team needs to begin building this unit back into a strength.
Steelers position of need #1: LB
Need level: Houston we have a problem
Despite numerous efforts to make this group a strength, the Steelers linebackers are still a major weakness for this defense ahead of the 2023 season. There is a very real chance that the only returning face to this group is Mark Robinson. While the seventh-round rookie has plenty of promise, he has yet to prove much at the pro level. Even if we bank on him to start, he has no capable running mate next to him.
Devin Bush is set to walk after being a bust of a top-ten selection. Myles Jack was supposed to return to his Pro Bowl level of play in Pittsburgh, but he was an overall disappointment and a player hard to justify keeping around at his current cap hit. While Robert Spillane has done an admirable job, he isn’t a long-term solution, and he also finds himself as a free agent in 2023.
Once again, the Steelers have no great options at linebacker, an issue that has seemingly plagued them since Ryan Shazier was injured. It hasn’t been for a lack of trying, as high picks and pricy free agents have all failed to fill in for this defense. Because of the overall question mark in this room, linebacker is far and away the Steelers biggest positional need during this offseason.
The Steelers roster is full of holes that will need to be filled by this team during the offseason. While they could stand to add talent almost everywhere, there are some positions that are clearly more in need of some help.