A terrific Pittsburgh Steelers season saw its season end in a shitty skidmark in last year’s AFC Championship game in a no-contest 36-17 loss to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, disappointing all of America and some would argue (me) western civilization itself.
This Steelers team is on the cusp of greatness itself. Since Ben Roethlisberger was drafted, they’ve made it to three Super Bowls and won two of them. While the Patriots laid claim to the 2001-2010 decade, the jury is still out on 2011-2020. There’s still time to grab that brass ring. Let’s take a look at how general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin put together their 2017 squad this off-season.
Free Agents Kept
David Johnson, Tight End
Landry Jones, Quarterback
James Harrison, Outside Linebacker
Steven Johnson, Linebacker
Le’Veon Bell, Running Back
Free Agents/Players Gained
Tyson Alualu, Defensive End, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars
Knile Davis, Running Back, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs
Justin Hunter, Wide Receiver, formerly of the Buffalo Bills
Coty Sensabaugh, Cornerback, formerly of the New York Giants
Free Agents/Players Lost
Jarvis Jones, Outside Linebacker, signed with the Arizona Cardinals
Lawrence Timmons, Inside Linebacker, signed with the Miami Dolphins
Markus Wheaton, Wide Receiver, signed with the Chicago Bears
DeAngelo Williams, Running Back, currently a free agent
Justin Gilbert, Cornerback, currently a free agent
Karlos Williams, Running Back, currently a free agent
Zach Mettenberger, Quarterback, currently a free agent
Dreamius Smith, Running Back, currently a free agent
Greg Warren, Long Snapper, currently a free agent
Ladarius Green, Tight End, currently a free agent
2017 NFL Draft
Round 1: T.J. Watt, Outside Linebacker, Wisconsin
Round 2: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Wide Receiver, USC
Round 3: Cameron Sutton, Cornerback, Tennessee
Round 3: James Conner, Running Back, Pittsburgh
Round 4: Joshua Dobbs, Quarterback, Tennessee
Round 5: Brian Allen, Defensive Back, Utah
Round 6: Colin Holba, Long Snapper, Louisville
Round 7: Keion Adams, Outside Linebacker, Western Michigan
Proposed Offensive Starters
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Le’Veon Bell
WR: Antonio Brown
WR: Martavis Bryant
WR: JuJu Smitch-Schuster
TE: Jesse James
LT: Alejandro Villanueva
RT: Marcus Gilbert
LG: Ramon Foster
RG: David DeCastro
C: Maurkice Pouncey
Offensive Outlook
Roethlisberger talked some bullshit about retirement this last off-season that everyone should have ignored. The man is in the twilight of a Hall of Fame career, but the sun hasn’t set just yet. The biggest issue with Big Ben is his healthy. He missed two games last year and four the year before. The Steelers invested a pick in rookie Joshua Dobbs out of Tennessee in hopes of easing the drop off. But Dobbs is probably a year away from being worth anything in the offense, so it’ll likely fall to Landry Jones again if Roethlisberger tweaks something.
Le’Veon Bell is arguably the best running back in the league. Certainly he’s the most versatile, which is why he wants to be paid for the work he does running and catching the ball. He won’t get what he wants, but it makes sense at least that he wants it. His issues have been avoiding the commissioner’s office. The last couple of seasons the Steelers have kept the underrated DeAngelo Williams on as Bell’s back up, but, for some reason, chose not to this time. It looks like rookie James Conner out of Pitt will take that role this season. If he’s good, fans will go nuts.
Pittsburgh is absolutely loaded at wideout, finally getting Martavis Bryant back from his one-year suspension to play opposite Antonio Brown. Sammie Coates and Eli Rogers could make an argument for the third guy, and certainly Coates is a guy that they like, but I don’t see how JuJu Smith-Schuster doesn’t win this job outright. He had first round talent and will show it on the field just like Michael Thomas did in New Orleans last season.
The Steelers bring back one of the better offensive lines in the league, with Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro leading an elite group up front. At tight end, the team is still looking for an upgrade to Jesse James after cutting Ledarius Green, who barely got on the field due to concussion issues.
Proposed Defensive Starters
DE: Cameron Heyward
DE: Stephon Tuitt
DT: Javon Hargrave
OLB: Bud Dupree
OLB: James Harrison
ILB: Ryan Shazier
ILB: Vince Williams
CB: Artie Burns
CB: Ross Cockrell
FS: Mike Mitchell
SS: Sean Davis
Defensive Outlook
Javon Hargreave overtook Daniel McCullers on the depth chart last season, making this the same defensive front Pittsburgh brought to battle last season. McCullers remains on the team as a rotational player. None of these guys produced much of a pass rush last season and even in a 3-4, that’s a problem. Especially on a team that’s sack leader posted only five.
That guy was, of course,the eternal James Harrison who, along with Bud Dupree, will play a hell of a lot more this season with Jarvis Jones and Lawrence Timmons both departing the team in free agency. They’ll both be spelled by rookie T.J. Watt, who will probably split plenty of time with Harrison. Timmons switched in and out at inside linebacker, so his job now falls to back up Vince Williams. Williams started four games last year for the oft-injured Ryan Shazier. Shazier, when he’s on the field, is an elite player and knows it. He’s worked hard this off-season to stay healthy and play a 16 game regular season.
Mike Mitchell is one of the more underrated free safeties in the league. Last year he was third on the team with 77 tackles to go with a fumble recovery, nine passes defended and a pick. Sean Davis plays all over the defense and was right behind Mitchel with 69 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and five passes defended. Artie Burns should take over for good at cornerback (if he doesn’t get suspended) after starting three games as a rookie. Ross Cockrell continues ot hold down the other corner spot. Rookie Cameron Sutton and stalwart William Gay will play plenty in three and four wideout alignments.
Grade: B-
The Steelers drafted well, but it was at positions they already had. It’s smart in the long run, but doesn’t do a lot for this year’s team. The 2017 squad is pretty much the same unit that took the field last year plus Martavis Bryant. I think he’ll make a difference, but I can’t count him towards the grade due to the fact that he took himself off the team with stupidity last year.
O/U wins: 10.5
Preseason Schedule
Week 1: at New York Giants
Week 2: Atlanta Falcons
Week 3: Indianapolis Colts
Week 4: at Carolina Panthers
Regular Season Schedule
Week 1: at Cleveland Browns
Week 2: Minnesota Vikings
Week 3: at Chicago Bears
Week 4: at Baltimore Ravens
Week 5: Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 7: Cincinnati Bengals
Week 8: at Detroit Lions
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: at Indianapolis Colts
Week 11: Tennessee Titans
Week 12: Green Bay Packers
Week 13: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 14: Baltimore Ravens
Week 15: New England Patriots
Key game: If the Steelers hope to make a real Super Bowl run, they’ll need home field advantage. Getting a win over the Patriots here, this late in the season at home, could seal that up.
Week 16: at Houston Texans
Week 17: Cleveland Browns
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