Do the Steelers have quality depth, or just quantity?
Over the past two years, the Steelers have stockpiled players to provide competition up and down the roster. But are we dealing more with simply the numbers of viable players, or do they actually have “quality depth”?
This is one of the fundamental questions every team tries to answer during the offseason. Whatever else may be the case, one thing that no team has is veteran, proven depth across the board. Every team has young players who still haven’t shown us who they are yet, for better or worse. The Steelers have a lot of the latter right now, so they have numbers, but will they be good?
I’m thinking about positions like cornerback, in particular, where they have Cory Trice Jr., Darius Rush, and Ryan Watts. But the Steelers may be moving Watts to safety on a full-time basis, anyway. Elsewhere, on the defensive line, you have DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Logan Lee, Dean Lowry, and others.
Even at quarterback, the Steelers have three experienced veterans relative to their stature. But do they actually have a good quarterback room? Arguably, their thinnest room is outside linebacker, yet it’s probably the strongest.
The Steelers even have numbers at wide receiver, but they’re throwing darts here—how many hit? Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, Scotty Miller, Marquez Callaway, Dez Fitzpatrick—will we be saying any of these names in 2025?
Perhaps the most interesting position in this regard is the tight end room. I actually thought people had a higher overall opinion of the Steelers’ tight ends, but apparently, I’m wrong. Pat Freiermuth is still trying to prove himself as a top tight end in the league. Darnell Washington hasn’t shown much upside as a pass-catcher, while Connor Heyward is inherently limited. MyCole Pruitt is JAG personified, while Rodney Williams is Danny Smith’s teacher’s pet. Yet they could all make the roster.
So that’s what brought me to this question today. Do the Steelers have quality depth or just quantity? Do they have a bunch of marginal players competing for roster spots who wouldn’t make the rosters of championship contenders?
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
