After the way the Pittsburgh Steelers closed the 2022 season, going 7-2 down the stretch to finish 9-8 and avoid a losing season, things were looking up for a young team.
Then GM Omar Khan had a great offseason, adding a number of talented, experienced veterans to the roster before then nailing the 2023 NFL Draft, putting the Steelers in a great position ahead of the 2023 season.
In a little over a month from the start of training camp in Latrobe at Saint Vincent College, the Steelers will gear up for what has the makings of a very good season overall. Yet, it seems like Pittsburgh remains underrated and a bit overlooked.
Pro Football Focus certainly agrees, highlighting the Steelers as one of five “overlooked” teams this season, along with the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams.
“The Steelers have finished .500 or better for 19 straight seasons now while winning nine or more games in all but three of Mike Tomlin’s 16 seasons as head coach. They have the worst odds to win the AFC North, but that’s largely because they are in a division with two genuine contenders in the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens,” PFF’s Gordon McGuinness writes regarding the Steelers’ outlook. “If the Steelers can get consistently good play from quarterback Kenny Pickett, who was second among quarterbacks with a 90.1 PFF grade from Week 12 through the end of the season, they could really surprise some people.”
Khan and Co. shored up the secondary this offseason with the additions of Patrick Peterson, Keanu Neal and Chandon Sullivan in free agency and Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. in the draft and rebuilt the offensive line with the signings of Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig in free agency, and the drafting of Broderick Jones in the first round.
That doesn’t even include the work Khan did at the inside linebacker position and along the defensive line, filling major holes with savvy moves, strengthening the Steelers in the process.
On paper, Pittsburgh looks rather strong top to bottom. There are some depth concerns that remain as it’s not a perfect roster, but overall the Steelers look to be in a good position, roster wise, entering the 2023 season. However, being in the rugged AFC North could make things difficult for the Steelers, especially with the Bengals and Ravens at the top, and the Browns continuing to improve.
Don’t overlook the Steelers though, especially under Mike Tomlin. They found something down the stretch last season, and there’s a real excitement around the team — at least internally — entering the 2023 season. We’ll see if the Steelers can turn that excitement into production with a young roster with championship aspirations.
A strong start to the 2023 season would make the league take notice and no longer overlook the Black and Gold.
