Which position group is least concerning for the 2023 Steelers ahead of training camp?

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. After the draft was over, we looked at the question yet again based on the Steelers new rookies. Now that OTAs are complete and training camp is just around the corner, it’s time to look at the question yet again.Since yesterday was the discussion of weakest spots, let’ continue on with the strengths.

So the question for today is this: Which position group of the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers is the least area of concern ahead of training camp? Remember, this will take the results from where we were looking back at this past season, how things stood before free agency, how things looked just before the draft, and how the draft played out 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

Running back:

Looking back at 2022: 16%
Before free agency: 37%
Before the draft: 35%
Following the draft: 9%
Players lost: Derek Watt*, Benny Snell Jr.*
Player gained: None
Drafted players and UDFAs: Alfonzo Graham

The Steelers are set with their top two players, but as confidence rises in other position groups it falls off at running back due to question marks with the third spot.

Tight end:

Looking back at 2022: 29%
Before free agency: 18%
Before the draft: 17%
Following the draft: 56%
Players lost: None
Players gained: None
Drafted players and UDFAs: Darnell Washington

Steelers fans were not concerned about tight end before the draft and things got even better following.

Quarterback:

Looking back at 2022: 3%
Before free agency: 13%
Before the draft: 19%
Following the draft: 6%
Players lost: None
Players gained: None
Drafted players and UDFAs: Tanner Morgan

Quarterback not being a concern was high during free agency but fell off after the draft. Is it still the same now?

Specialists:

Looking back at 2022: 1%
Before free agency: 9%
Before the draft: 5%
Following the draft: 1%
Players lost: None
Players gained: Braden Mann, Rex Sunahara
Drafted players and UDFAs: B.T. Potter

When other position groups were more concerning, it was easy to choose the specialists as the least. Now there’s more confidence in other groups as well.

Wide receiver:

Looking back at 2022: 3%
Before free agency: 7%
Before the draft: 8%
Following the draft: 5%
Players lost: Steven Sims, Anthony Miller**
Players gained: Allen Robinson, Hakeem Butler
Drafted players and UDFAs: Jordan Byrd

I’m not sure Steelers fans are overly concerned at wide receiver. I just don’t know if they would pick it as the one category where they are least concerned.

Outside linebacker:

Looking back at 2022: 9%
Before free agency: 5%
Before the draft: 2%
Following the draft: 3%
Players lost: Malik Reed, Jamir Jones**
Players gained: Markus Golden
Drafted players and UDFAs: Nick Herbig, David Perales

The Steelers added depth since the last time. Will this group emerge strong again?

Safety:

Looking back at 2022: 28%
Before free agency: 3%
Before the draft: 2%
Following the draft: 1%
Players lost: Terrell Edmunds, Karl Joseph*
Players gained: Keanu Neal
Drafted players and UDFAs: None

Steelers fans must have been much higher on Terrell Edmunds then they appeared because this was the least concerning group last season and it has fallen off ever since with Edmunds being the only loss.

Inside linebacker:

Looking back at 2022: 5%
Before free agency: 3%
Before the draft: 2%
Following the draft: 4%
Players lost: Devin Bush, Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen*, Myles Jack**
Players gained: Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Tanner Muse, Nick Kwiatoski
Drafted players and UDFAs: None

As I’ve said many times before in these articles, with this position group not being concerning is more about their contributions on the field and not the players the Steelers have in some cases.

Defensive line:

Looking back at 2022: 2%
Before free agency: 3%
Before the draft: 2%
Following the draft: 3%
Players lost: Chris Wormley*, Tyson Alualu*
Players gained: Breiden Fehoko, Armon Watts
Drafted players and UDFAs: Keeanu Benton, James Nyamwaya

The Steelers have plenty of players in this position group but it still hasn’t emerged as one being the least concern.

Offensive line:

Looking back at 2022: 3%
Before free agency: 2%
Before the draft: 3%
Following the draft: 9%
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

After using their first-round pick on a tackle, this group increased the last time. Will it continue?

Cornerback:

Looking back at 2022: 1%
Before free agency: 1%
Before the draft: 6%
Following the draft: 3%
Players lost: Cam Sutton, Arthur Maulet**, Ahkello Witherspoon
Players gained: Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan, Luq Barcoo
Drafted players and UDFAs: Joey Porter Jr., Cory Trice Jr.

Much like wide receiver, I’m not sure fans are overly concerned at cornerback but just not willing to say it’s the least.

So there is a brief reminder as to how each position group performed in the four 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 least concerning ahead of 2023 training camp? Make sure to vote in the poll and leave your thoughts in the comments below.