The Pittsburgh Steelers’ recent three-game losing streak has been deflating on so many levels. There was plenty of optimism surrounding this team heading into the regular season after flashing during the preseason as the offense looked explosive with QB Kenny Pickett appearing ready to make that Year Two jump. That jump never materialized as he and the offense have struggled more this season than during his rookie season, failing to execute on many levels with multiple players not effectively doing their jobs while incurring dumb penalties. The defense hasn’t performed up to expectations as it has been gashed for big plays on the ground and through the air all season, having surrendered 21-plus points in the Steelers’ last three games to mediocre offenses.
As of today, the Steelers sit 16th in the 2024 NFL Draft order according to Tankathon, having been 23rd just a couple of weeks ago prior to their current slide. They currently have the Denver Broncos and the New Orleans Saints above them in the draft order with the same record. New Orleans is riding a two-game winning streak and Denver is coming off a beatdown loss to the hands of the Detroit Lions on Saturday night.
Should the Steelers’ woes continue and they keep losing games down the stretch, big changes could be made to the personnel, the coaching staff, or both after falling flat on their face after being in a promising spot to clinch a playoff berth. However, If the Steelers do lose their last three games or drop two of their next three against the Bengals, Seahawks, and Ravens, they could realistically find themselves in position to secure a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
There are currently four teams a game behind Pittsburgh in the win column, putting them ahead in the draft order. The Steelers will play the 6-7 Seahawks on New Year’s Eve, likely moving ahead of them in the draft order if they lose that game, depending on how next week’s contest against the Bengals turns out. The 6-8 Raiders just smashed the Chargers, but still have a strong schedule ahead with the Chiefs and Colts their next two opponents. The Packers and the Falcons have both lost two straight games sitting at 10 and 11 in the draft order with Atlanta facing the Colts and the Bears for its next two games while the Packers play the Panthers and the Vikings.
The Steelers may not get to a top-10 pick even if they lose out, but they could easily find themselves sitting in the top 12 and in range to land a blue-chip prospect in the draft. Names like Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Notre Dame OT Joe Alt, and Penn State OT Olu Fashanu are normally within that range, likely requiring a small trade up to lock down an impact player at a position of need for Pittsburgh, including cornerback and offensive tackle.
However, Pittsburgh also would be in striking distance to draft one of the top quarterback prospects in the class, seeing as Caleb Williams of USC, Drake Maye of North Carolina, and Jayden Daniels of LSU all are considered top-10 prospects, according to Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board. If the Steelers aren’t sold on Pickett their franchise quarterback of the future, they could pivot for one of the top names in this class, likely requiring a bit of a trade up to acquire the guy they like and reset at the quarterback position.
You never want to see your team tank or end the season on a low note, but given the direction this Steelers team is going, the playoffs look like a pipe dream at this point. This team must focus on improving from a schematic and personnel standpoint to yield better results in 2024. The Steelers could easily find themselves in range to do so via the draft, being in position to select a top-tier player at a position of need or choose to hitch their wagon to a quarterback prospect who may have more raw talent and upside than we have seen out of Pickett in his first two seasons.
