The Pittsburgh Steelers have made some pretty drastic changes to their roster. The quantity of the changes hasn’t been that large, relatively speaking, but the quality of the changes have been notable. The two biggest issues of the 2023 season for the Steelers was the quarterback play and the overall offensive scheme stemming from OC Matt Canada’s game planning. They have now completely changed both of those issues. Arthur Smith is the new offensive coordinator and Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are the quarterbacks. This has led one analyst to believe the Steelers are legitimate contenders in his AFC power rankings.
Brian Baldinger appeared on NFL Total Access on Friday and gave his Top 5 AFC teams right now, with the Steelers in the fifth spot.
“Just think about this, they were a playoff team a year ago,” Baldinger said in a clip posted on NFL.com “They won 10 games with three quarterbacks that threw a combined 13 touchdown passes. Only the Jets threw fewer. You think that Russell Wilson and whatever Justin Fields’ role is, they’re gonna throw more than 13 touchdown passes. They might even double it.”
The new-look offense and the significant upgrade at both QB1 and QB2 should indeed pay large dividends for the Steelers. The rushing attack led by Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren came on strong down the stretch of the 2023 season, and that was with the passing game barely helping open things up. When Mason Rudolph came in late in the season to start at quarterback and started connecting on deep passes, the rushing attack opened up even more.
Wilson didn’t have a successful tenure with the Denver Broncos, but he did pass for 26 touchdowns in 2023, doubling the Steelers’ combined output. If he can replicate something similar, the Steelers have a lot of upside as a team in the 2024 season.
And it isn’t just the offense that received some much-needed help.
“The defense got stronger with Patrick Queen, Donte Jackson at corner,” Baldinger said.
Beyond those two players that he listed, they added DeShon Elliott and Dean Lowry who will both be contributors in the 2024 season. Elliot could very well be the key to unlocking Minkah Fitzpatrick, as he was able to with Terrell Edmunds next to him previously.
Cameron Heyward will be healthy again. He was noticeably unable to move last season after returning from a groin injury midway through the season. The injury luck, knock on wood, shouldn’t be as devastating as it was down the stretch of last season, with seven different safeties and five different inside linebackers starting for the team. And they really didn’t lose that many of their own free agents outside of Patrick Peterson and Armon Watts.
Beyond the makeup of the team, the Steelers have been operating with more urgency this offseason. Art Rooney II said he was growing impatient with the lack of playoff success, and the offseason moves have seemed to reflect that so far.
“I feel like the Steelers, really they’ve been put on notice. Winning 10 games, winning records is not good enough in Pittsburgh,” Baldinger said. “It’s time to start winning playoff games. And that’s one of the reasons why I believe the pressure’s on and they will respond to it.”
With all of that being said, the road ahead should be more difficult. Last season, the Steelers had one of the easiest strengths of schedule in the NFL and will face one of the hardest in 2024.
Rounding out Baldinger’s top five were the Houston Texans, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs.
