As expected, the Pittsburgh Steelers chose to leave more players than not, and we saw several leading and leading players sign elsewhere. In addition to multiple retirements by key players, we also got something of a surprise when the Steelers chose to release veteran player Vince Williams.
Technically free agency starts on Wednesday, but after just two days of legal tampering, we decided we needed to update our draft needs based on the drama of this first wave free agency.
A warning for all this. While I’m pretty locked up at 1-6, 7-10 is largely interchangeable at this point.
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Three things come into play here. First Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement, second Matt Feiler signed with the Los Angeles Chargers and finally the age and contract situation of David DeCastro. It’s ideal to get an elite center, but a man with two instruments who can move between center and guard will work well here as well. Not the most flashy choice, but it will cater to the most striking need in the grid.
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It was a foregone conclusion that Bud Dupree would sign elsewhere, but because the Steelers have no real confidence in Ola Adeniyi, this team has very little depth. The class of fringe hunters in 2021 is deep, but Pittsburgh needs to bring in someone who can contribute as a rookie.
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The release of Vince Williams came as a surprise and allowing the Steelers to replace him is a greater need than before. Marcus Allen and Robert Spillane do not inspire confidence as a linebacker, and this puts a lot of pressure on Devin Bush coming back from a torn ACL.
If the Steelers sign Alejandro Villanueva again, the need drops significantly. But assuming he leaves in free agencies, Zach Banner and Chuks Okorafor are your entree, but there is very little behind either of the two on the depth map.
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I think most assumed that the Steelers could safely sign Tyson Alualu. But his return to Jacksonville leaves some questions on the inside of the defensive line. Pittsburgh still needs to find a big, wide body to eat up blockers and make the linebackers life easier.
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The high angle of the Steelers draft need is directly related to how confident they are in Justin Layne now that Mike Hilton has signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. If the Steelers want to find another great corner similar to Hilton, they will have to assign them a draft pick.
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I know a lot of Steelers experts want to see Pittsburgh set up a tighthead prop early on. I’m not one of the experts. Eric Ebron offers a solid receiving option, and if Pittsburgh want to find a blocking tight end, they can do so on the third day of draft.
Fortunately, even if the Steelers eventually lose JuJu Smith-Schuster to another team, a wide receiver is not a concern for the Steelers. Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and James Washington will round out the depth chart nicely. If the Steelers want to take a late flyer on a guy, you have to look for the speed of the track.
Many Steelers fans will be playing for a quarter in the upcoming draft. And if one of the best guys falls to the Steelers in the first round, the front office will decide. But if Pittsburgh can not land one of the best guys, it really makes no sense to push the QB room.
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The Steelers’ safety depth chart has been fairly set for 2020. Minkah Fitzpatrick is truly an elite player and Terrell Edmunds is good for what he was asked to do. It is highly unlikely that the Steelers will make a choice for another safety with the other needs on the roster.