One of the worst feelings heading into the NFL draft is feeling like a team has to draft for need. That can result in teams passing on great players simply to plug a hole on their roster. The Pittsburgh Steelers have four major holes: Offensive tackle, center, wide receiver, and cornerback. The question is which is the biggest need? Could it genuinely be at wide receiver?
The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly thinks so. He joined the Fan Morning Show on 93.7 The Fan on Monday and said there is no question in his mind that it’s wide receiver.
“By the definition of the word ‘need,’ it’s wide receiver number one,” Kaboly said. “That goes without saying to me. Because you can maybe get by with Nate Herbig or have some other options, or at least there is somebody there, right? At least there is somebody there at cornerback in Donte Jackson. At least there is somebody there in Dan Moore [Jr.] that’s probably a little bit more criticized than he probably should be. He’s a guy that probably regardless of whoever they draft in the first round is gonna play half the year even if it’s a guy like [JC] Latham or [Amarius] Mims.”
It’s a bit daunting to think that the Steelers cut C Mason Cole but would be willing to lean on a player like Herbig. The team has already talked about Herbig as an option, but he’s only ever taken 49 snaps in the regular season at the position.
As for offensive tackle, Moore had a terrible 2023. However, the Steelers opted to play first-round OT Broderick Jones out of position at right tackle to bench Chukwuma Okorafor rather than Moore. So who exactly knows how the Steelers will approach the position? They’ve certainly met with a number of tackle prospects during the process.
But Kaboly truly thinks the Steelers would rather roll with Herbig at center than a wide receiver like Van Jefferson or Quez Watkins opposite George Pickens.
“I just worry about George Pickens just getting doubled, honestly,” Kaboly said. “And that’s what I would do right now. You know the guys, the Watkins, the Jeffersons, the [Calvin] Austins, the Marquez Calloways. I mean, what have you got there, man? I mean, okay, they’re pro players, but they’re not going to scare anybody.”
What would scare the Steelers more, though? The prospect of Moore protecting the blindside of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, two of the most-sacked quarterbacks in the league? Or a player in Herbig who has barely snapped a ball in the regular season during a five-year pro career?
The wide receiver position has to be addressed either in the draft or some other means before training camp. While the emphasis on offense will continue to be the running game, the Steelers need a competent second wideout across from Pickens. Jefferson has played in 61 career games but has only averaged around two receptions and 26 yards per game. That’s not going to trouble any defensive coordinator.
And this is the conundrum the Steelers find themselves in: They simply have multiple major needs heading into the draft. So how are they going to figure it out? It’s going to be very interesting to see.
