While the Kansas City Chiefs are celebrating their Super Bowl LVIII win and the birth of a dynasty, the focus for 31 other teams now shifts to the offseason, particularly the 2024 NFL Draft.
Now that the 2023 season is complete, the draft order for April’s flagpole event for the NFL is set. That will help bring into focus top needs and plans of attack for teams. Though free agency is before the draft, giving teams the opportunity to address some needs on the open market, the draft remains one of the smartest ways to build a team.
For NFL.com’s Chad Reuter, he took a shot at identifying the top five needs for all 32 teams ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Steelers’ needs aren’t all that surprising from Reuter. The long-time NFL draft analyst has cornerback, offensive tackle, interior offensive line, linebacker and defensive tackle as the team’s biggest needs.
“Assuming the Steelers decide their in-house options under center are better than any outside alternatives (I know what they say about assuming …), the team should focus its attention on upgrading the center and tackle positions,” Reuter writes for NFL.com. “Pittsburgh’s linebacker corps fought through injuries last year, so finding a true difference-maker in the second level should be among their highest priorities, as well. And DT Cameron Heyward can’t play forever, so adding another young star next to 2023 second-rounder Keeanu Benton seems logical.”
The way things are looking right now, the Steelers are going to roll with Kenny Pickett, a free agent addition, and probably a draft pick on Day 2 or Day 3 under center. That might not be all that comforting to fans, but that’s how things are taking shape, right or wrong.
So, if that’s going to be the plan of attack at the most important position in all of sports, the Steelers better focus on building around their quarterback, particularly in the trenches. That means adding pieces to protect Pickett and the other quarterbacks. Offensive tackle and center are massive needs for the Steelers.
They simply can’t roll into the 2024 season with Dan Moore Jr. starting at left tackle, Broderick Jones at right tackle and Mason Cole at center. Flipping Jones back to his more natural left tackle this offseason is paramount, and adding more foundational pieces along the offensive line must be the plan of attack, especially in a run-heavy scheme with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in place.
Names like Georgia’s Amarius Mims and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, West Virginia’s Zach Frazier, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, Duke’s Graham Barton and Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson are popular ones along the offensive line for the Steelers so far. It’s a good bet one of them will wind up a Steeler.
Elsewhere, defensive line, linebacker and cornerback are major needs, too.
With Levi Wallace set to hit free agency and Patrick Peterson having issues at cornerback throughout the 2023 season, the Steelers have to find a running mate for Joey Porter Jr., who had a very promising rookie season. He took on the top matchups weekly, but he needs someone opposite him to really complete the cornerback room.
Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold, Penn State’s Kalen King, Clemson’s Nate Wiggins, and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean are names that continue to be connected to the Steelers, though there is a long time between now and the draft.
At linebacker, the Steelers got some really good play from Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander before season-ending injuries struck. While Holcomb will be back in 2024, he’ll be coming off of a serious knee injury that was reportedly a torn ACL, while Alexander is set to hit free agency after tearing his Achilles tendon.
Elandon Roberts played very well in 2023, but the Steelers need a true difference-maker at the position, as Reuter writes. That guy could be Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, a player with whom Steelers have spoken and are very interested in as first reported here at Steelers Depot during the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Defensive line needs some youth added, too. Walter Payton Man of the Year award winner Cameron Heyward is coming off an injury-filled season and will be 35 next year. He still has some good football left, but the Steelers have to get younger in the trenches defensively. Keeanu Benton was a major bright spot last season, but the Steelers need more there.
It’s a decent draft class for it with names like Missouri’s Darius Robinson and Alabama’s Justin Eboigbe being tied to the Steelers early in the process.
It’s a pivotal offseason for the Steelers, especially the draft. GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl had a great draft class in 2023. Now, they have to do it again.
