The NFL calendar is hastening toward the draft, and the Steelers’ first-round priorities seem as open as they have been in some years. There are a number of different directions in which they could go. One of the only ones most agree they should pursue, though, is quarterback.
Former Steelers RB Jerome Bettis agrees this is not the time for them to find their quarterback. He spoke to Brian Batko on the Chipped Ham and Football podcast, saying they have to focus elsewhere first. But that applies to both sides of the ball, and he pinpointed specific target areas of interest.
“Look at the offensive line, look at the wide receiver position. And then on defense, the two positions I would look at would be inside linebacker and cornerback. I would look to address one of those four areas with the top player that’s available in any one of those areas”, Bettis said regarding the Steelers’ top draft priorities. “But I do believe you need to really address, offensively, the receiver position and the offensive line as well”.
This offseason, the Steelers lost a starting offensive lineman but gained a wide receiver. The problem is, they already needed multiple receivers before entering this process, so that need persists. Wide receiver is one of the top guesses for the Steelers to draft in the first round. Cornerback is not as popular a choice, though, with most seeming to favor drafting a safety. There seems to be universal agreement, however, about the offense.
“Last year, we thought we were gonna be able to run the ball and we would have Aaron Rodgers, he wouldn’t have to do too much”, Bettis aid. “Couldn’t run the football. DK Metcalf got suspended—we had nobody who could catch the football. We were worried about throwing it—who could we throw the football to?”.
The Steelers did address the offensive line, wide receiver, and cornerback needs before the draft via free agency and trade. They did not do so, however, in such a manner that would discourage a big swing. Left guard in particular is a starting job open for grabs, the current candidates being former backups. A rookie wide receiver wouldn’t have to step in right away, though, with DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. Likewise, they do have cornerbacks, but that will likely be a need relatively soon. And it might not be a horrible idea for the Steelers to prepare for the possibility of Joey Porter Jr.’s contract negotiations going awry by addressing the need in the draft. It’s not like Jamel Dean is likely to lock down one side of the field for the next five years. And for that matter, Jalen Ramsey may be in his last season in Pittsburgh.
But the Steelers could also consider the defensive line, safety, and even tight end as a first-round draft need. And they have three picks in the third round, which gives them a golden opportunity to hit many needs with premium draft picks.
Recommended for you