Take a look at this and scroll to the bottom. The Steelers have been a ticking time bomb for roughly a year. From the ongoing Le’Veon Bell drama to Ben contemplating retirement after every loss to Antonio Brown’s locker room/Facebook live stunt, it’s obvious that, eventually, everything would just explode.
If that wasn’t evidence enough, it’s happening now. Bell and Brown are as good as gone, and Ben’s days appear numbered. This time next year all three of the “Killer B’s” might be out of Pittsburgh. The problem with that statement is that Bell and Brown are going to be gone in a matter of months. It’s just Ben hanging on by a thread, trying to get one last run out of his career. What’s the point though?
If you can’t knock off the Pats with arguably the best WR and RB in football, what makes you think it’s going to happen now. No offense to Juju and James Conner, but at this moment, they’re not Brown and Bell. The Steelers need to realize this and not waste time. One of the biggest mistakes that teams make is not accepting when something is gone. The faster the Steelers make this realization, the faster they can return to their success.
The Ben Era Is Over
The first and most important step is pulling the plug on Roethlisberger. I love Ben. I think he’s unlike any QB we’ve ever seen in the NFL. The Steelers have never finished worse than .500 with them. He’s a 2x Super Bowl champion and a future Hall of Famer. With that being said, he’s not what the Steelers need right now. Pittsburgh drafted a QB, Mason Rudolph, in the third round of last year’s draft. Whether he’s the guy or not, the entire city of Pittsburgh deserves to know.
I’ve seen too many teams take guys early in the draft and never give them a chance to play. Granted, if they never earned a shot to step on the field, they probably weren’t very good anyway, but Rudolph deserves an opportunity to be a
The Steelers need to really let Rudolph play too. It can’t be a two-game tryout to determine his entire Steelers career. Hell, Nathan Peterman appeared in his first game in week 10 for the Bills in 2017. It should be around that time that the Steelers give Rudolph his fair chance. Basically, the biggest key after this season is knowing if Rudolph has what it takes or not.
What to do with Tomlin
I’ve never believed that Mike Tomlin was a good coach. I think he’s been blessed by a great front office who have brought in even better talent for him to work with. Now, however, I’m curious to see how Tomlin operates without any of the “Killer B’s” in the lineup. I want Tomlin to prove his status as an elite coach and turn Mason Rudolph into a star. For me, this is his ultimate and only test. He gets one year, however many games Rudolph starts, to prove that they both belong.
Luckily for Tomlin, the Steelers still have enough talent on offense, especially on the line, to make things work. The issue is that Tomlin doesn’t like to run the football. Imagine having the best line in the entire NFL and running the ball just 21 times per game. That mark is good for 31st in the league and will be the downfall of the Steelers if Tomlin doesn’t adapt.
Tomlin has to find the best way to utilize his players. The Steelers’ depth chart is stacked in some areas and completely desolate at others. A good coach knows how to mask those holes and showcase the strengths of his team.
Draft Strategy
The Steelers have one the best draft tendencies that there is. They draft the best available player on their board. While they may not always line up with who draft “experts” feel they should draft (see Terrell Edmunds) they pick guys who they feel will just simply be good football players.
This should not change this year. Losing players of such high caliber can make teams panic, looking to quickly fill the gaps, but they have to realize that their past drafting has left them in a decent spot. Conner and Smith-Schuster are more than capable of stepping into #1 roles, so the Steelers should look to draft defense early on. This draft is stocked with pass-rushers, meaning a guy who’d typically go in the top-10 might drop to the 20th pick where the Steelers happen to be.
In short, it’s simple. The Steelers are weak in the secondary and could use an extra pass-catcher, but unless a player is worth taking to fill that need, there’s no point. It’ll just set the rebuild back even further.
Competing in the AFC North
Out of seemingly nowhere, thanks to the arrival of Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson, the AFC North has two legit playoff threats. The Steelers need to realize that these two teams aren’t going anywhere. In order to compete with them long-term, they have to extend their stars.
What’s the point of drafting great players if you’re just going to let them go after their first contract is up? When guys like Juju and T.J. Watt are ready to negotiate contracts, the Steelers have to pay up or accept being a bottom half team in the division.
Another idea, that isn’t a bad one is building a roster that’s designed to beat either the Ravens or Browns. It’s an idea that’s often overlooked, but take a look at what the Rockets did to Golden State last year. They knew the only way to compete with the Warriors was to jack up more 3PTs. They were open about it too, making it very clear that there was an unstoppable team in front of them and they had to devise a way to beat them. Granted, they didn’t, but they were one of just a few teams in recent years to give them a scare.
Maybe the best way is to create an identity. The Browns are a roster clearly built in the short passing game, led by one of the most accurate passers in the league. Baltimore, however, is the ideal playoff football team, who’ll run the ball 30 times and play solid defense. The Steelers could go back to the ways that brought them their last Super Bowl. Led by guys like Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, James Farrior, and Lamar Woodley to name a few, they played physical defense that allowed for offensive freedom.
Overall, be patient.
Patience is the key. Don’t chase big names, let them come to you. Don’t jump on a “once in a decade athlete” in favor of the best players. It’s just a matter of making small decisions without panicking.
I listed four steps that could return the Steelers back to greatness, but it’s easy to misstep at any point. The Steelers have to embrace those mistakes and the rebuild as a whole. It’s not going to be perfect, but like I’ve said a bunch of times, there are pieces in place to make this happen sooner rather than later.
To be honest, I don’t think that Pittsburgh will make the playoffs this year. I do, however, truly believe they should let Rudolph grow, make Tomlin adapt, and draft intelligently. Maybe then they could return the playoffs by the 2020 season.
Want to discuss or voice your own opinion. Hit me up on Instagram or Twitter @MS_Persources.