Buy Or Sell: The Steelers should double-dip on the offensive line in the first two rounds.
Explanation: The Steelers have two holes in their starting lineup on the offensive line. They currently do not have a starting-capable center who isn’t already starting at guard, and then there’s Dan Moore Jr. Moore has started the past three seasons at left tackle, but they want to upgrade. Specifically, they want to find somebody to start at right tackle and move Broderick Jones to the left side.
Buy:
Paint it however you want. The Steelers have not one but two holes in the starting offensive line. Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle, or even more so at right tackle, is a hole. He is a replacement-level player whom the Steelers have trotted out as a starter for three years now.
In other words, they need to draft both a center and a right tackle (or even a left tackle). And the draft aligns with value at tackle in the first round and center in the second round. These are the two most important needs relative to draft alignment.
Yes, they need another wide receiver, but everybody seems to trust their ability to hit in the third round. This wide receiver class appears to be about as deep as it has been lately, so you can get a contributor with the 84th pick.
Sell:
Sure, it sounds nice in theory to “finish off” the offensive line, but you still have to prioritize. You can still get a better starter on the line in free agency than you can at wide receiver at an affordable price. There are some centers out there who profile reasonably well for what the Steelers need.
But the Steelers have too many needs to use both of their most premium selections on the offensive line. For one thing, they need another defensive lineman and a cornerback. Also, the need for a second wide receiver is a glaring need at a time with a sweet spot in the second round. Let the board dictate where these picks go. You don’t need to pigeonhole yourself into drafting linemen, and chances are that’s not how the board falls.
With the Steelers’ 2023 season in the rearview mirror following a disappointing year that came up short in the playoffs once again, it’s time to start asking more questions. Questions about the team’s future in 2024 and beyond. Questions about The Standard.
The rookie class of a year ago was on the whole impressive, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2024. And they likely need a strong influx of talent in both free agency and in the 2024 NFL draft yet again. In addition to a revisitation of the coaching staff.
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
