The Pittsburgh Steelers have only won three playoff games since the 2015 season. Some franchises may accept that as a positive, but with six Lombardi Trophies on Art Rooney Avenue, the recent lack of success should draw criticism from fans. A lot of the blame has fallen on Head Coach, Mike Tomlin which is certainly warranted, but looking back at the organization's draft board from 2015-19, some of the faults should be shifted to former General Manager, Kevin Colbert. The team only has 10 players on the current roster that were drafted by the Steelers in that timeframe. The names on the list aren't pretty, either.
FILE- In this Nov. 18, 2018, file photo, Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert watches warmups before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla. The Steelers and Colbert have agreed to a one-year contract extension that runs through the 2021 draft / Credit: AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack
If you weren't aware of the recent draft woes, it was probably because you were blinded by the home run of a pick that T.J. Watt was back in 2017. However looking back, 2015 and 2016 were especially bad.
#Steelers draft classes from 2015-2019:
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) October 12, 2022
Pittsburgh did a poor job hitting on/retaining draft picks in this five-year stretch. Most players didn't even sniff a second contract with the team. Just one great player drafted in this stretch despite five first-round picks. pic.twitter.com/5KfzkcQwfI
Naturally, guys are going to fall off, especially the picks from six years ago. However, there is no excuse for not retaining a single player, especially two solid late-rounders in Anthony Chickillo and Tyler Matakevich. Regardless, glancing at the other picks from those two years, there is not much to write home about. Bud Dupree was solid in his last season with the Steelers and Javon Hargrave and Jesse James weren't bad, but boy is it tough to look at the others.
Dec 4, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Javon Hargrave (#79) takes the field to play the New York Giants at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won 24-14. | Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh's biggest offseason acquisition recently was signing Joe Haden following the 2016 season and it's a good thing Colbert did. The selections in the secondary were absolutely abysmal. Senquez Golson, Doran Grant, Gerod Holliman, Artie Burns and Sean Davis are on a list that the Steelers organization should be simply embarrassed about.
The 2017 class was decent, especially through the first four rounds and overall can be labeled as a win because of Watt and Sutton, but to just have two guys still on the roster contributing is somewhat of a failure. James Conner, aside from his injury issues, has been solid for the Arizona Cardinals and the Steelers may not have wasted a first-round pick on Najee Harris if Conner had been retained two seasons ago.
Terrell Edmunds has been consistent and healthy for almost his entire career but is not an above-average player. Looking at 2018, everyone should be expected to be gone after the 2022 season aside from Chukwuma Okorafor. No one expects every single draft choice to pan out, but retention and consistency have been what identified the Steelers organization for a long time. Where has that gone recently?
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 20: Chukwuma Okorafor (#76) of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the game against the Denver Broncos at Heinz Field on September 20, 2020, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. | Credit: Joe Sargent / Getty Images
Big free agent signings have come more often than in the past, but did Colbert fail to adapt to the current state of the NFL? He has certainly had some positives, one of which was trading for Minkah Fitzpatrick and losing a first-round pick in 2020, but what happened from '15-'19?
Tomlin definitely has a say in the draft process, but whether it is the scouting department, the former general manager or the culture within the Steelers locker room, players are not being drafted and remaining in the Steel City. Omar Kahn has his work cut out for him and after a 1-4 start, the 2023 draft could shape up to be the most important in recent memory.
Fans of the black and gold can fault Tomlin, but an overwhelming amount of accountability should be directed at Colbert as well. Let's not pretend that having a star in Watt changes the fact that no one from 2015 or 2016 remains on the team and more from recent years are likely to soon be on their way out after the season. The Steelers need to get back to their bread and butter. It needs to start with next year's draft.
What do you make of the organization's draft picks from 2015 to 2019? Let us know in the comments below!
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