The Pittsburgh Steelers had the wildest offseason in recent memory, completely remodeling their roster via free agency, the draft, and trades to fill numerous holes with proven veterans and rookies to improve the team.
The team signed CB Patrick Peterson, EDGE Markus Golden, S Keanu Neal, LBs Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander, DL Armon Watts and Breiden Fehoko, and OL Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig. They brought back several of their own key free agents in Damontae Kazee and Larry Ogunjobi and executed a trade with the Rams to acquire WR Allen Robinson II for a seventh-round pick swap while making Los Angeles eat a good portion of Robinson’s 2023 salary.
This is far more activity than we have seen from Pittsburgh in the past. But given the absence of a franchise quarterback on the books with a huge cap hit and the need to build up a roster around a young, developing quarterback, having the rest of the team loaded is imperative to compete for a Lombardi. That’s what former Steelers S Ryan Clark mentioned as a guest on the DVE Morning Show, stating that Pittsburgh is trying to find that spark to catalyze a Super Bowl run.
“So now when you look at this team, I think you’re still looking for that magic,” Clark said on The WDVE Morning Show. “You know, going out and getting guys like Kwon Alexander to add late to the linebacker room. You know, Keanu Neal and [Damontae] Kazee because you’re looking for that complement to someone as great as Minkah Fitzpatrick. You know, Pat Pete opposite guys like Levi Wallace and Joey Porter Jr. I think you’re always looking for the correct mix of people to have a team that can compete for a Super Bowl. And when you look at the AFC North this year, you have to be stacked if you want to compete.”
When looking at the Steelers’ last Super Bowl roster in 2008, they had a bunch of players that became integral pieces in their championship run. ILB James Farrior signed with the Steelers after starting his career with the Jets, finding a home at ILB where he manned the position in Pittsburgh for a decade. Clark himself started his career in New York and Washington before signing with the Steelers as a free agent in 2006, becoming the ideal running mate next to S Troy Polamalu for eight seasons. OLB James Harrison got cut from the Steelers and Ravens multiple times before finally sticking on the roster, ultimately becoming the 2008 Defensive player of the Year and Pittsburgh’s all-time sack leader.
That isn’t to say that any of Pittsburgh’s recently added free agents will reach the heights that these names did during their respective tenures with the team, but the Steelers need to try and find that magic again to build up their roster outside of NFL Draft. With how loaded the AFC North is with talent, Pittsburgh needs to do the same to compete to win the North and have a chance to make the big dance, filling holes at several positions in free agency while hoping a couple of those signings pop in a big way. Hopefully, we do see one of those free agent signings far exceed expectations in 2023, likely helping Pittsburgh make a legitimate playoff push.
