Things were looking up for the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out of a very busy free agency period as GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl reshaped the roster with some key signings and a few noteworthy trades.
In were quarterback Russell Wilson, linebacker Patrick Queen, safety Deshon Elliott and even running back/kick returner Cordarelle Patterson, among others, as was quarterback Justin Fields and cornerback Donte Jackson via trade.
Out the door went quarterback Mason Rudolph, quarterback Mitch Trubisky, offensive lineman Chukwuma Okorafor, wide receiver Miles Boykin, defensive lineman Armon Watts and cornerback Levi Wallace via free agency, while quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver Diontae Johnson were traded and cornerback Patrick Peterson was cut.
When the dust settled following free agency, Pittsburgh certainly looked better on paper. That wasn’t exactly reflected in some power rankings across the NFL media landscape though.
So, now following the 2024 NFL Draft in which the Steelers seemingly came away with another great haul thanks to Khan and Weidl, it’s noteworthy that they climbed four spots in the latest post-draft power rankings from The Athletic, moving ahead of the of the Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, and Atlanta Falcons.
“Whoever ends up playing quarterback for the Steelers (Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are the contenders, in case you hadn’t heard), he should have plenty of protection,” The Athletic’s Josh Kendall writes regarding the Steelers sitting 18th in the power rankings. “Pittsburgh took three offensive linemen, including two of the feistiest in this draft (tackle Troy Fautanu and center Zach Frazier), with their first two picks.”
Entering the draft the Steelers had a glaring need along the offensive line at both tackle and center. They were able to address both positions immediately, landing two good ones in the draft class in Fautanu and Frazier. The Steelers will certainly be tougher up front in 2024 and beyond and should be able to really get after teams in the run game. That is what the Steelers want to do from an identity standpoint.
It wasn’t a flashy draft, but the Steelers added a lot of beef in Fautanu, Frazier and South Dakota State’s Mason McCormick along the offensive line and Iowa’s Logan Lee on the defensive side of the ball. The Steelers also plugged a hole at receiver with the selection of Michigan’s Roman Wilson and might have landed the steal of the draft in North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson, should he be able to stay healthy.
Even Texas defensive back Ryan Watts is an intriguing selection due to his size and physicality in the secondary.
We’ll see if it helps the Steelers right away in 2024 as they try to compete for a Super Bowl title. But based on the haul the Steelers had, and coupled with the success in free agency and via trade, things are undoubtedly looking up for the Black and Gold.
