The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of an unusual off-season for the storied franchise. There are holes to fill and upgrades to be made at many positions. A lot of things need to be done in order for Mike Tomlin's team to be competitive in a stacked AFC. There have been many speculations about what the organization will do at several positions and the next two months will give us all a better idea of how the Steelers stack up against the rest of the AFC. Welcome to our off-season edition of Pittsburgh Steelers: Buy or Sell?
1.) The Steelers Will Draft An Offensive Lineman in the First Round
There is no doubting that the offensive line is the biggest issue for Matt Canada's offense. Najee Harris is a star in the making and managed to rush for 1,200 yards even with a below average line in front of him. Investing in this group needs to be the top priority of the off-season. Regardless of who is at quarterback, a unit up front that can't protect him or create big holes for Harris is a waste of talent. There are plenty of first round options at the position and I expect Kevin Colbert to target one of them at #20.
Analysis: Buy
2.) Mason Rudolph Will Head into OTAs as QB1
This is a tough one. Coaches and members of the front office have already expressed confidence in Rudolph. Yet, many players are being asked in interviews about who will take over for Ben Roethlisberger and no one is supporting the Oklahoma State alum. There are still names out there like Deshaun Watson, Jimmy Garoppolo, Mitch Trubisky, Teddy Bridgewater, among others. Buying a first round draft choice on the offensive line removes a first round pick at quarterback, but what if one of the top guys falls into the 2nd round. There is too much uncertainty around this topic and while the Steeler way would be to give Rudolph a chance here, he has already had too many.
Analysis: Sell
3.) JuJu Smith-Schuster Will Be a Steeler in 2022
Smith-Schuster is heading into free agency for the second year in a row. The Steelers wide receiver position is anything but settled aside from Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. This would have one assuming Smith-Schuster would be a viable option to bring back. Not so fast though. The Steelers could be involved in free agency more so than in the past. A wide receiver in the NFL Draft and making a bid for Ray-Ray McCloud at a lower cost is a more reasonable approach to expect. Free agency dollars are going to be spent elsewhere, not on Smith-Schuster.
Analysis: Sell
4.) The Steelers Will Draft More Offensive Players Than Defensive in 2022
The Steelers are projected to have seven picks in this year's draft including the compensatory pick for Bud Dupree. They have needs on both sides of the ball and typically draft more defensive players than offensive. This year is going to be drastically different. They need help at quarterback, running back, offensive line and wide receiver. So yea... pretty much every position on that side of the ball. While drafting for the defensive line helps and someone in the secondary is certainly possible, Tomlin and Colbert are going to attack the offensive side of the ball next month.
Analysis: Buy
Do you buy or sell the off-season talking points above? Let us know in the comments below!
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