Now that the Super Bowl has been played and free agency is approaching in less than a month, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be looking at the top three needs for each team. Today, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the focus. The Steelers have the 22nd pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and a few players will hit the free agency market this year, most notably Jason Worilds. Defense will clearly be the focus of the Steelers acquisitions this offseason, both in the draft and in free agency.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2015 Offseason: Top 3 Needs
Safety
The Steelers vaunted defense under Dick LeBeau took several steps backwards in 2014. LeBeau is gone. Keith Butler will take the reigns with a lot of question marks. Future Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu is sadly not the player he once was. He could retire; however, even if he stays, the Steelers must address the safety position. Will Allen filled in admirably for Polamalu during several games, but he is a free agent and the Steelers need to re-sign him.
Hopefully, with LeBeau gone, Butler can finally use the intriguing Shemarko Thomas, who has been limited to special teams his first two seasons. If Thomas pans out, the Steelers will be in much better shape. Hopefully Mike Mitchell’s injuries were the reason he was so woeful in 2014. A healthy and improved Mitchell would bolster the backfield.
The 2015 draft is not a great one for safeties and the Steelers may have to take two players in middle to later rounds. If they want the best, the Steelers will take Alabama’s Landon Collins with their first-round pick. More likely, however, the Steelers will take a cornerback in the first round. Mississippi’s Cody Prewitt was a four-year starter and may be an intriguing third or fourth round pick. Other safeties the Steelers may take include Washington’s Shaq Thompson or Fresno State’s Derron Smith. Mississippi State’s Justin Cox was the fastest safety at the combine and the Steelers need to get faster in the backfield, so he is an option as well.
Cornerback
Like Polamalu, veteran Ike Taylor has likely played his last game for the Steelers. Cortez Allen took a huge step backwards in 2014 and hopefully he can return to the player the Steelers thought they had when they signed him to a large contract last season. Brice McCain and Antwon Blake might be candidates for the Steelers to sign to provide depth.
Thus, the Steelers will likely draft a cornerback with their first pick and may even take another corner later in the draft to upgrade the speed of their backfield. Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes may be their main target. Waynes is a good tackler, a trait the Steelers are known for, and he is the perfect combination of speed and strength. Washington’s Marcus Peters could also be on the Steelers draft board despite his multiple Off-the-field issues including being being kicked off the team last November.
A later round option is UConn’s Byron Jones, who made a splash at the combine with a record 12’3″ broad jump. Jones jumped an astonishing 15 inches more than the second-best player. Florida State’s Ronald Darby and LSU’s Jalen Collins are two other options at the position.
Outside Linebacker
At outside linebacker, the Steelers have only third-year player Jarvis Jones under contract for 2015. Jones had just started to look very good in 2014 when he was injured and missed most of the season. The Steelers need Jones to continue to improve and become a dominant pass rusher.
The Steelers would like to keep Jason Worilds; however, they may have to overpay him and the Steelers do not have much cap room. James Harrison has announced he will play in 2015, but he is a free agent. Arthur Moats is a free agent as well. The Steelers may try to keep one of them, but probably not both. Harrison may also follow his beloved coach Dick LeBeau to the Tennessee Titans.
The Steelers will have to draft at least one pass rushing linebacker. Nebraska’s Randy Gregory would be a great pick, but it is extremely unlikely that he will be available to the Steelers unless they trade up. Missouri’s Shane Ray and Florida’s Dante Fowler would also be possible first-round selections.
However, the Steelers will likely draft a linebacker in a later round and use their first two picks on a cornerback and a safety. In the later rounds, the Steelers may take Washington’s Hau’Oli Kikaha. He is a risk with two ACL injuries, but he has a high ceiling if he stays healthy. Norfolk’s Lynden Trail could be a late round selection as well.
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