The NFL Draft has come and passed, and the Steelers got quite the haul. They stood pat and added quality talent at every level. Despite a strong draft class overall, this team still has a lot of needs. The secondary was barely addressed and the receiver room is shallow, in particular.
Now knowing who is joining this team as a rookie, the Steelers would be wise to fill out their roster with a handful of veterans. This would immediately fill their holes and give them a more competitive roster ahead of training camp. Here are four veterans Pittsburgh should be adding to their roster with the draft wrapped up.
Steelers should add Adoree Jackson
My main issues remaining on the roster are receiver and cornerback needs, specifically in the slot on defense. While Ryan Watts is a versatile piece, there is no telling where he will ultimately play. He has the size and length this team wants in an outside cornerback, plays a lot like a safety on tape, and could eventually serve as an oversized slot defender for a team. That said, I’m not counting on him as a sixth-round pick.
Adoree Jackson has intrigued the Steelers in the past, and while he hasn’t been elite over the past few seasons, he can serve as an outside cornerback and play predominantly in the slot. My issue is that I think he would want a bigger role than this team would afford, but assuming he is ok playing on a cheap deal and mostly in the slot, sign me up.
Steelers should add Bud Dupree
The first of two reunions on this list, the Steelers had one of the deeper edge rusher rooms in the league last year. This was a benefit to them, as they got to rest their starters and still have capable players getting after the quarterback. They still have Nick Herbig, but they need another capable body to keep that depth strong.
Why not Bud Dupree?
Dupree is still a fine situational pass rusher and a good run defender. While he won’t be active on special teams, the team has Herbig for that. Bringing him back keeps you four deep at one of the most important positions in the league.
Steelers should sign D.J. Chark
Even with the addition of Roman Wilson, the Steelers receiver room is bad right now. Before the draft, they had George Pickens and a bunch of question marks. Wilson should figure into the equation, but it would be nice to have a third option in case of injury. While a reunion with Allen Robinson isn’t the worst idea, I think D.J. Chark makes more sense.
He is your classic height-weight-speed deep threat, and he would slot in as a great third option for this team. When they use three-receiver sets, Wilson can move to the slot and Pickens can take on the X role on offense. He is a talented third option and would give this offense some options ahead of training camp.
Steelers should sign Patrick Peterson
The door has never completely closed on Patrick Peterson returning to the Steelers even after he was cut. It seemed like Pittsburgh wanted to see what they could get in the draft at the position before adding a veteran to the position. The draft has come and gone, and there is no capable slot cornerback on this roster.
Peterson can no longer play on the outside or in man coverage against the outside receivers in the league, but he morphed into a good hybrid slot defender during the second half of last season. Bringing him back gives this defense a good veteran presence as well as someone who can work in the slot this season.
While the draft was a solid one for the Steelers, they still need some help shoring up their roster. These veterans would go a long way in adding some overall depth to the roster. Even if it is only as a depth player, these four veterans would make a lot of sense for the Steelers right now.