The Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC North last year, but that wasn’t good enough. They still didn’t win a playoff game, so they need to be better. Their roster had some glaring issues last year, and Omar Khan and company weren’t afraid to tap into free agency to find solutions. They even traded for Michael Pittman Jr. to give them a viable No. 2 wide receiver. However, Bill Barnwell has a more pessimistic outlook on the Steelers because of those moves.
“You would think Mike Tomlin retiring would be like, ‘Okay, we tried to squeeze that one more, long playoff run from Tomlin out,'” Barnwell said recently on his podcast. “‘Now we can move on. We can hire that great young defensive coach that we always seem to find. We’re going to move on. We’re going to start over…’ No, we are running it back, just adding Mike McCarthy and a couple other vets to the mix.
“It’s a Mike downgrade for sure, I can promise you. Steelers are also going to be my pick for the most frustrating offseason. Not like they didn’t add talented players. I like Jamel Dean, I think Jaquan Brisker signing [is] a really good signing for that price. But just a total disconnect between reality and where they perceive themselves.”
Barnwell isn’t the only one who thought the Steelers were going to reset after Tomlin stepped down. They’ve felt stuck in recent years, and it seemed like they needed to tear down their roster and rebuild.
However, Art Rooney II had other ideas. He doesn’t want the Steelers to rebuild, thinking it’s foolish not to try to compete for a Super Bowl. Whether that’s right or wrong, it’s who the Steelers are.
And players like Pittman, Dean, and Brisker all instantly give the Steelers upgrades at positions of need. If they get decent quarterback play this year, then perhaps they’ll actually be a playoff threat.
While some fans might not think that’s possible, McCarthy might be able to help. Barnwell is confident that he’s a downgrade from Tomlin, and while that might be true in some respects, he should upgrade their offense. That wasn’t Tomlin’s strength, and he often struggled to nail the Steelers’ offensive coordinator hire.
Now, McCarthy will call plays, and he’s also proven at developing quarterbacks. He’s worked with the likes of Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Dak Prescott. While the Steelers don’t have anyone that talented under center, McCarthy might be able to raise the Steelers’ ceiling on offense.
Also, the offseason is far from over. The Steelers could still take a swing on their next potential franchise quarterback in the draft. If they do, then that player will be stepping into a decent situation. Rebuilding is much easier said than done. It’s fair to be frustrated by some of the Steelers’ moves, but it’s also important to be patient and let things play out.
Recommended for you