What’s the Steelers’ worst-case scenario in the 2022 NFL Draft?

We are within a month of the 2022 NFL Draft, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are a team who needs to make every pick count. The Steelers are facing a crossroads for the first time in nearly 20 years trying to replace future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. A stellar draft, and they will remain a contender for the foreseeable future. A big swing and a miss, and the Steelers could be in a true rebuild.

This draft, like all drafts, is an important one and the Steelers must find contributors on all three days of the selection process. But what would the doomsday scenario look like? Below I share some thoughts on what type of draft scares me the most for this organization.

The one thing which would be a huge mistake is if a number of quarterbacks go off the board before the 20th overall selection, and the Steelers ‘Artie Burns’ themselves into taking a quarterback because they need a quarterback. Wasting a first round pick on a quarterback who might be seen more as a third or fourth round option could be a very serious issue for this team. The Steelers cannot afford to take the best quarterback remaining while they still have fundamental issues across the rest of the roster.

Another bad idea would be to trade up, giving away massive draft capital for a quarterback. As much as we all love the idea of finding the next franchise guy, this draft is still seen as a weak quarterback class. Giving up multiple first round picks, and more, for a player who may end up being average at best isn’t good enough. Sure, if the team believes the player they’re trading up for is going to be the next Patrick Mahomes then there’s no issue with making that deal. But in this class it doesn’t seem like there is that type of quarterback in the group.

Another scenario which would worry me is if the Steelers neglect to sign a safety prior to picks coming off the board. Any safety available at the 20th pick does not jump off the page as an immediate starter or potential franchise star. Entering the draft without a safety would put enormous pressure on the team to add one with one of their top picks. Even if they just re-sign Terrell Edmunds I think the Steelers would be in a much better place heading into draft night.

Finally, I worry about the Steelers selecting players with similar flaws to those they already have on their roster. The Steelers can’t afford to add another wide receiver with drop issues, as an example. Or a running back who lacks burst through the gap, like Benny Snell. They need a well-rounded team and players who complement what they already have. Another season filled with dropped passes and busted coverages isn’t going to help anyone. So, go out and find players who do things a little bit differently than what you already have.

But what do you think? What would be the absolute worst-case scenario for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.