The moves of the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason suggest the team is well-positioned to return to the postseason in 2023. It won’t be easy, as the AFC continues to look like the far superior conference. That means just earning a playoff spot, even though there are seven of them now, is going to be difficult. The Steelers reside in the AFC North, where all four teams are legitimate playoff contenders.
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Steelers backup running back Jaylen Warren enjoyed a breakout rookie season in 2022, and he's ready to take that a step further in 2023.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens even have realistic shots at winning a Super Bowl. People around the Steelers organization think the team is ready to make a run at getting their seventh ring as well. When evaluating goals for this upcoming season, second-year running back Jaylen Warren gave a pretty simple answer. No personal goals, but rather, he simply wants to hoist that Lombardi Trophy in some quotes gathered by Bo Marchionte of college2pro.com.
"I ain’t got no personal goals, but I just want to win a Super Bowl," Warren said via Marchionte.
Warren enters his second season in the NFL after an impressive rookie campaign in 2022. Along with Najee Harris, the two form one of the best running back duos in the NFL. The front office has revitalized the offensive line this offseason, signaling their want to return to old-school football. This should only help the likes of Harris and Warren, as the team clearly wants to beat teams up on the ground. It's something that the team has been lacking for years now under Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_Photo)
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III will bring a speed dynamic that the offense lacked at times in 2022.
Do Steelers have a legit shot at the Super Bowl in 2023?
Wide receiver Calvin Austin III is entering the second season of his career, although he didn't play at all in 2022. A foot injury prevented him from seeing the field, so this year will be his first action on the field. He's been seen looking healthy and fast at OTAs, so he'll bring an immediate impact to the team. In the same article, Austin echoed a similar sentiment to Warren for his goals for the upcoming 2023 season.
"So, after that 17th game I want to be in a position where I contributed and helped the team to put us in a position to make a run at the Super Bowl," Austin said in regards to his 2023 goals.
Fellow wideout and second-year man George Pickens was the other sophomore to mention a Super Bowl as a part of his 2023 goals. Pickens included an appearance to the Pro Bowl as well, as he felt like he was snubbed from the game in 2022. Just a year later, the 2022 draft class is shaping up to be a special one for Pittsburgh. They will be expected to take big steps forward in their second seasons, and it seems they're ready to win a Super Bowl in the meantime.
What are your thoughts on the second-year guys including a Super Bowl as their Year 2 goals? Do you think this team has a realistic shot at making the Super Bowl and winning it? What would have to happen in order for that dream to come true? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, as well as on our social media sites, yinz!
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