Bringing back a series we’ve done throughout the rest of the offseason. I promise we’re not going all Embrace Debate on you, but Joe Cammarota and I have teamed up to debate Steelers-related topics we have genuine, good-faith disagreement over. Let us know who made the better argument and what side of the debate you come in on in the comments below.
Today’s topic is…
What Was Pittsburgh’s Best Move This Offseason?
Joe Clark: Signing Isaac Seumalo
The Steelers’ signing of Isaac Seumalo was the type of move I’ve been yearning for the team to make in free agency. They did it last offseason by bringing in James Daniels, and they repeated it this offseason with Seumalo. Instead of going out and signing guys who are decent players and marginal upgrades, they went out and brought in arguably the best available free agent at his position in a clear area of need.
Seumalo was a member of the NFL’s best offensive line last year with the Philadelphia Eagles. While he might have been overshadowed by guys like Jason Kelce or Lane Johnson, he was a key cog to Philadelphia’s unit. Pittsburgh couldn’t run Kevin Dotson back out there after a poor 2022, so they were either going to draft or sign a guard.
Nate Herbig was the team’s first signing, and it appeared he was going to be the guy to supplant Dotson. But then Pittsburgh went out and grabbed Seumalo, who you can argue is one of the better guards in the league. Acquiring a top player at his position in free agency without really breaking the bank is always going to be a good move, and it helped reinforce Pittsburgh’s line and continued the rebuild of the unit.
Pittsburgh’s line has gone from bad to average to good on paper over the last three years, and going out and bringing in the likes of Daniels and Seumalo is a big reason why. The front office has made it clear that rebuilding the line was a priority, and they didn’t skimp with marginal additions. Seumalo is going to be a mauler for Pittsburgh, and signing him eliminated the interior offensive line as a clear need in the early rounds of the draft, allowing the Steelers to make a move like drafting Darnell Washington.
I think Seumalo is going to ball out this year and make a lot of teams regret not jumping on him earlier in free agency.
Joe Cammarota: Drafting Joey Porter Jr.
Given that the NFL is such an offensive league nowadays and with elite quarterbacks not only in the AFC but specifically in the AFC North, the drafting of cornerback Joey Porter Jr. at pick No. 32 was the best move the Pittsburgh Steelers made this offseason.
The Steelers currently do not have an explosive offense and while I am high on quarterback Kenny Pickett, with the way the offense has been constructed it is hard to expect them to average over 25 points per game anytime soon. Because of that, it is crucial Pittsburgh’s defense is elite, and last season showed that the weak point in the defense is the cornerbacks.
The Steelers have a great pass rush with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith coming off the edge, but the elite quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have still been able to pick the Steelers’ defense apart because of average to below-average cornerback play.
By drafting Porter, the Steelers have a long and sticky cornerback who has the potential to shut down an entire side of the field. This can go a long way to helping prevent Mahomes or Allen from terrorizing Pittsburgh in their matchups. Porter was able to do this in college as in 2022, Porter was only targeted 30 times and gave up only 15 receptions according to PFF. While his ball skills need to be worked on, if Porter can consistently take receivers out of the play not too many people are going to complain.
While Porter may not be elite this season, he has the ability to be the Steelers’ shutdown cornerback for a decade and help compete in a loaded AFC. Pittsburgh made the playoffs in 2020 and 2021 in this new era of quarterbacks, and despite the elite pass rush they had in those games, Mahomes and Baker Mayfield were able to pick the secondary apart.
The Steelers are desperate for a playoff win and the team wants to win through its defense so addressing their weakest link has to be Pittsbugh’s best move this offseason. Don’t look just at the 2023 season, look towards the future as Joey Porter Jr. could play a huge part in helping the Steelers conquer a loaded AFC.
