The Pittsburgh Steelers made some significant upgrades to their roster this offseason, particularly at the quarterback position and with the addition of LB Patrick Queen. Still, in a loaded AFC, the Steelers haven’t done enough to solidify themselves as a legitimate contender in the conference. In Judy Battista’s AFC hierarchy for NFL.com, she put the Steelers in the “vast middle class,” a group that also includes the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Battista believes that Wilson could be a “huge step up” at quarterback from Kenny Pickett, who the Steelers traded to the Philadelphia Eagles last month.
“If Wilson plays like he did last year when Sean Payton was not screaming at him, he is a huge step up from what the Steelers got out of Kenny Pickett, and Arthur Smith’s offense should make Russ (or Fields) comfortable,” Battista said. “Adding [Patrick] Queen strengthens the defense, which is the heart of this team. Look for Omar Khan to shore up the offensive line in the draft, but the Steelers should look much more functional with Wilson, even though they play in the NFL’s toughest division.”
Even with Pickett last season, the Steelers managed to go 10-7, although a large part of that was Mason Rudolph leading the team to three straight wins down the stretch. Wilson should be an upgrade over both Pickett and Rudolph, and those 10 wins came with the Steelers dropping three in a row, including two games to the lowly Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots. Even in a difficult AFC with a tough strength of schedule, the Steelers should be able to find similar success to last season with upgrades on both sides of the ball.
There’s still work to be done, and if the Steelers can’t solidify the center position or add another receiving option opposite George Pickens, then the outlook might change. But with the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, the Steelers should have plenty of opportunities to address their needs and put out a team that should be better than last season. The team has been active in bringing in offensive linemen and receivers for pre-draft visits.
But with seven playoff spots and five contenders, who Battista qualifies as “In the Chase” with the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, along with the Kansas City Chiefs in a “Class of Their Own,” it’s no guarantee the Steelers are going to make the playoffs. The team has found a way to sneak in before, and with an upgraded roster, it shouldn’t be as ugly on the field as it has been in past years. It might still be an uphill battle in such a tough conference and a division that might be the best in football, but the Steelers have put themselves in a position to compete and possibly win a playoff game in 2024.
