The Steelers made splashy moves in free agency. Don't bet on a return to normalcy in the NFL draft
PITTSBURGH (AP) — There used to be a time — say the vast majority of the franchise's first 92 seasons — when the Pittsburgh Steelers would rely almost exclusively on the NFL draft to address whatever holes they might have on the roster.
Those days appear to be over.
The Steelers went through a very unsteeler-like March in which they signed Russell Wilson, traded for Justin Fields and gave inside linebacker Patrick Queen the biggest freeagent contract in team history.
It shortened Pittsburgh's shopping list when the draft begins April 25. It did not eliminate the list entirely.
"Obviously, the more that you're able to address in free agency it lessens narrow mindedness in draft prep," longtime head coach Mike Tomlin said.
The "Tomlin-ism" translation: the Steelers could go several different ways with the 20th overall pick in the first round.
The offensive line could use an upgrade and the wide receiver group needs another big-time threat to line up opposite George Pickens. Queen's arrival gives the Steelers at least one fixture at inside linebacker for the next three seasons, but after a trying season in which the position was essentially a rotating door because of injuries, finding another young player wouldn't hurt.
And who knows, considering what Pittsburgh did during that dizzying stretch in which it signed Wilson to a team-friendly oneyear deal, made the low-stakes acquisition of Fields and traded away Kenny Pickett less than two years after taking him in the first round, maybe the Steelers take another big swing at the most important position in the sport.
OK, so maybe that last one is probably a non-starter. Probably.
If the past few months have proved one thing, it's that anything is on the table for a franchise trying to do things differently as it tries to end its longest playoffvictory drought since Franco Harris pulled in "The Immaculate Reception" 52 years ago. NEEDS
The Steelers added depth along the defensive line by re-signing Montravius Adams and bringing in veteran Dean Lowry. Still, some fresh legs would help.
Cam Heyward is nearing the tail end of a brilliant career and turns 35 in May. Larry Ogunjobi will be 30 in June and has played more than 5,000 snaps. Keeanu Benton looked promising at times as a rookie, but Demarvin Leal could be trending toward "bust" territory after being a healthy scratch at times.
Broderick Jones shows all the signs of being the cornerstone offensive tackle the Steelers envisioned when they took him in the first round a year ago. Still, he's going to need some help. Pittsburgh cut center Mason Cole and while Nate Herbig or James Daniels could be shortterm options, the Steelers could use someone they can plug in and stop worrying about the position for a decade, something they haven't had since Maurkice Pouncey retired following the 2020 season. DON'T NEED Pittsburgh has one of the best running back tandems in the NFL in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, both of whom topped 1,000 allpurpose yards last season.
The biggest question at the position as the draft approaches is whether the Steelers will pick up Harris' fifth-year option. Tomlin has done nothing but praise Harris at every turn during his three seasons in the league, though Tomlin also did the same for Pickett before making a series of moves that all but guaranteed Pickett would want to go elsewhere.