Which position group is most concerning for the 2023 Steelers after the draft?

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 season is now an afterthought and the 2023 offseason is rolling on. After having plenty of time to look back and reflect on both the accomplishments and shortcomings of this past year‘s team, the page has been turned to look forward for quite some time.

Since it’s impossible to go back and change the past, what’s most important when looking at 2022 is to see how it builds towards the future in 2023 and beyond. With much discussion about which position group the Steelers need to improve based on free agent losses, additions, and things of that nature, sometimes what gets lost in the shuffle‘s where the Steelers had both the most and least success in the previous year and how that builds into the following season. It’s possible for the Steelers to be losing no one at a given position yet still need to do something based on expectations coming up short the previous year. Additionally, another position group could be the strongest for the team and a focus on keeping the group intact might be the best approach.

Earlier this offseason, we looked at both the most concerning and least concerning position groups based on the 2022 season. The instructions were to only look back and not look forward. The next step was to take those results, mixed with the Steelers players that were set to become free agents at the beginning of the league year, and decide where the Steelers were set up the best and worst as they headed into free agency. Once free agency was six weeks old, we looked at the same questions just ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. Now that the draft is over, it’s time to look at the question yet again based on the Steelers new rookies. Since the topic of strengths would probably lead more to the weakest spots in terms of the discussion, let’s go ahead and start with weaknesses today and save the strengths for tomorrow.

So the question for today is this: Which position group of the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers is the biggest area of concern following the draft? Remember, this will take the results from where we were looking back at this past season, how things stood before free agency, and how things looked just before the draft to help answer the question now. Players lost and gained in free agency as well as drafted players and Undrafted Free Agents (UDFAs) will be listed.

*Player is still a free agent
**Player was released by the Steelers but still unsigned

Inside linebacker:

Looking back at 2022: 58%
Before free agency: 61%
Before the draft: 24%
Players lost: Devin Bush, Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen*, Myles Jack**
Players gained: Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Tanner Muse
Drafted players and UDFAs: None

The most concerning position to the first two stages of this exercise, the concerns at inside linebacker dipped following free agency. With the Steelers adding nothing during draft weekend to the position group, where will it go now?

Offensive line:

Looking back at 2022: 21%
Before free agency: 16%
Before the draft: 20%
Players lost: J.C. Hassenauer, Trent Scott, Jesse Davis*
Players gained: Isaac Seumalo, Nate Herbig, Le’Raven Clark
Drafted players and UDFAs: Broderick Jones, Spencer Anderson, Trevor Downing

The results from this group were somewhat mixed and I was surprised to see the concern jump back up even after the Steelers landed the top guard in free agency. But now that they addressed offensive tackle in the first round, is the concern dying down?

Defensive line:

Looking back at 2022: 9%
Before free agency: 11%
Before the draft: 10%
Players lost: Chris Wormley*, Tyson Alualu*
Players gained: Breiden Fehoko, Armon Watts
Drafted players and UDFAs: Keeanu Benton, James Nyamwaya

The age of the defensive line has to be a factor with everything this offseason. Now that the Steelers have addressed the position with their highest pick since Stephon Tuitt, will that be enough to make fans feel better?

Cornerback:

Looking back at 2022: 5%
Before free agency: 9%
Before the draft: 29%
Players lost: Cam Sutton
Players gained: Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan
Drafted players and UDFAs: Joey Porter Jr., Cory Trice Jr.

The Steelers have plenty of bodies in the corner back room now that they have added more than they have lost in free agency and double dipped in the 2023 NFL draft.

Quarterback:

Looking back at 2022: 2%
Before free agency: 0%
Before the draft: 0%
Players lost: Mason Rudolph*
Players gained: None
Drafted players and UDFAs: Tanner Morgan

The biggest concern from this position group is based on the top of the list, and those names have not changed.

Specialists:

Looking back at 2022: 1%
Before free agency: 0%
Before the draft: 0%
Players lost: None
Players gained: Braden Mann
Drafted players and UDFAs: B.T. Potter

Depth is not a problem when you’re only keeping one player at a position. But at least there is some competition for the kickers/punters.

Outside linebacker:

Looking back at 2022: 1%
Before free agency: 0%
Before the draft: 14%
Players lost: Malik Reed, Jamir Jones**
Players gained: None
Drafted players and UDFAs: Nick Herbig, David Perales

The concern for this group skyrocketed ahead of the draft because of the depth question. Have the Steelers addressed it enough?

Wide receiver:

Looking back at 2022: 1%
Before free agency: 1%
Before the draft: 1%
Players lost: Steven Sims
Players gained: Allen Robinson
Drafted players and UDFAs: Jordan Byrd

The addition of a veteran wide receiver will at least help the mentorship in the room, but production on the field will be the big question. Rght now the Steelers have far more names who could make the team than spots available.

Tight end:

Looking back at 2022: 0%
Before free agency: 0%
Before the draft: 0%
Players lost: None
Players gained: None
Drafted players and UDFAs: Darnell Washington

This position group was one of the least concerning throughout this process, and yet the Steelers still made a great addition in the third round of the draft.

Running back:

Looking back at 2022: 0%
Before free agency: 0%
Before the draft: 0%
Players lost: Derek Watt*, Benny Snell Jr.*
Player gained: None
Drafted players and UDFAs: None

This is the position group where there’s been no movement throughout the offseason for the Steelers.

Safety:

Looking back at 2022: 0%
Before free agency: 1%
Before the draft: 1%
Players lost: Terrell Edmunds, Karl Joseph*
Players gained: Keanu Neal
Drafted players and UDFAs: None

Having Minkah Fitzpatrick is a huge plus, but figuring out who is playing what role in what situation‘s with the other players in the position group is a bit of a mystery at this time.

So there is a brief reminder as to how each position group performed in the three previous polls, as well as players lost and gained in free agency and on draft weekend. Now the rest of the story is up to you. Which position group do you believe is the most concerning coming out of the 2023 NFL draft? Make sure to vote in the poll and leave your thoughts in the comments below.