There’s been no playoffs for Mike Tomlin’s team the past two seasons. What veterans can the Pittsburgh Steelers still add to change that in 2020?
It’s been over a decade now since the Pittsburgh Steelers won their sixth Super Bowl. And it will be 10 years this season since the team made its last appearance in the “Big Game.” The latter was in 2010, when Mike Tomlin’s club fell short on Super Sunday to the Green Bay Packers, 31-25.
While Mike Tomlin’s team has made its share of postseason appearances since and without much success, the past two years have marred by injuries, controversy and a few disgruntled players. In 2018, the club dropped four of its last six games after a 7-2-1 start. The Steelers are coming off an 8-8 campaign in which it wound up starting three different quarterbacks. The team made a run at the playoffs despite those issues but still landed with a thud, dropping their final three contests.
The big news this offseason is the anticipated return of veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who missed the final 14 games a year ago and underwent elbow surgery. He appears to be ready to go. But is this team primed to rebound. With very little salary cap room to play with, who could general manager Kevin Colbert still add to the mix to make the Black and Gold more formidable?
5. T Kelvin Beachum (New York Jets)
A seventh-round draft choice by the Steelers in 2012, tackle Kelvin Beachum played in 44 regular season contests for Mike Tomlin’s team and made 39 starts in four years. The former SMU product would move onto the Jaguars and start 15 contests for the Jaguars in 2016.
The past three seasons, Beachum has been a regular in the opening lineup for the New York Jets. He played and start 45 games for the Green and White, including all 16 outings in both 2017 and ’18. And it’s very possible that the Steelers would be getting back a better offensive lineman than Beacham was before he left the team. He is more than familiar with the organization and would provide experienced depth up front.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 15: Will Compton #51 of the Oakland Raiders tackles Leonard Fournette #27 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half at RingCentral Coliseum on December 15, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
4. ILB Will Compton (Las Vegas Raiders)
The Steelers are an organization that doesn’t usually dive heavily into free agency but it certainly made it share of moves this offseason, adding the likes of interior blocker Stefen Wisniewski, tight end Eric Ebron, fullback Derek Watt and a slew of performers who spent time in the short-lived XFL.
Some of that was due to the fact that general manager Kevin Colbert was quite aggressive via the trade route in 2019. During that draft, the club moved up 10 spots to select University of Michigan inside linebacker Devin Bush. In September, the Steelers gave up their 2020 first-round selection for Dolphins’ safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who turned in an All-Pro performance this past year.
Speaking of inside linebacker, Mike Tomlin’s club could likely use a little help there. Bush and veteran Vince Williams are the starters. A year ago, the team brought in Mark Barron, late of the Rams, but he proved to be a disappointment and was released earlier this year. Reserve defender and special teams stalwart Tyler Matakevich signed with the Buffalo Bills this offseason.
Will Compton is a player that has been productive in his various stints around the league and has played for three different teams (Redskins, Titans and Raiders) in as many years. This past season with Jon Gruden’s club, he wound up appearing in nine contests, making four starts – finishing with 39 defensive stops and a pair of special teams’ tackles.
3. CB Dre Kirkpatrick (Released by Cincinnati Bengals)
The Steelers are always looking for more help at the cornerback position, due in part to the fact that they have swung and missed on some players in the draft. An example is 2016 first-round selection Artie Burns, courtesy of the University of Miami.
Kirkpatrick simply never lived up to the club’s expectations. The Steelers did not pick up his fifth-year option a year ago and this offseason, he signed with the Chicago Bears.
Speaking of former first-round picks, University of Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick was the 17th overall selection in 2012 by the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent eight years with the club and after picking off 10 passes (2 returned for touchdowns) in his first six seasons, he failed to come up with an interception the past two years.
In 2019, he was also limited to only six contests and this offseason, was released by an organization that addressed the cornerback position in a big way during free agency.
Nonetheless, Kirkpatrick is obviously very than familiar with the other teams in the AFC North. It’s not as if the Steelers did not get solid cornerback play a year ago from both Joe Haden and 2019 free-agent addition Steven Nelson, late of the Kansas City Chiefs. But adding another veteran can only make this a more formidable group.
2. DE/OLB Jabaal Sheard (Indianapolis Colts)
It’s amazing when you consider that the Pittsburgh Steelers have either led or tied for the league lead in sacks each of the past three seasons and have still had their ups and downs when it comes to stopping opposing quarterbacks from putting up big numbers.
Black and Gold defenders have amassed 56, 52 and 54 QB traps, respectively, the past three seasons. Unfortunately, it hasn’t amounted to much as the team doesn’t have a playoff win over that stretch.
Still, the team could use some depth behind defensive start T.J. Watt and bookend Bud Dupree, the latter recently signing his franchise tender. With the former dropping opposing signal-callers 14.5 times and Dupree coming up with 11.5 sacks, the duo combined for nearly half (26) of the team’s 54 sacks this past season.
In late April, general manager Kevin Colbert used a third-round pick on intriguing pass-rusher Alex Highsmith. But the Steelers could use some more assistance here in terms of experience.
Jabaal Sheard, who spent the past three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts after stints with the Browns and Patriots, has lined up in various schemes in nine NFL campaigns. The former University of Pittsburgh standout has amassed 51.5 sacks and 13 forced fumbles in 134 regular-season contests. He’s an ideal signing for a team looking for a little savvy.
1. DT Damon Harrison (Released by Detroit Lions)
For the better part of four seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the better defensive fronts in the league. End Stephon Tuitt (when healthy) and three-time Pro Bowler Cameron Heyward flanked nose tackle Javon Hargrave. The trio made life easier for the team’s linebacking corps, most notably outside performers T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree.
This offseason, the man in the middle got big money to join the Philadelphia Eagles. Steelers’ general manager Kevin Colbert did orchestrate a trade with the rival Baltimore Ravens to acquire interior defensive lineman Chris Wormley for a fifth-round draft choice in 2021. The club also has some young performers who could fit in the mix.
Meanwhile, veteran Damon Harrison was let go by the Detroit Lions in late February and still hasn’t found a home in 2020. The man nicknamed “Snacks” is highly regarded as a run stopper in the team could certainly use some help there. This past season, Pittsburgh defenders surrendered a disappointing 109.6 yards per game on the ground.
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The 31-year-old performer, who earned All-Pro honors with the Giants in 2016, has missed just one game the past seven seasons combined. And he made up for that in ’18 when he actually played in 17 contests after being dealt to the Lions during the season. The Steelers could use that kind of reliability on the defensive front.