Pittsburgh Steelers Depth Chart 2019 Steelers Depth Chart

Preseason Analysis: Steelers Want to Send Ben Off with Another Ring

Offseason Moves

Trading Antonio Brown for draft picks was certainly Pittsburgh’s best documented offseason move, along with the release of Le’Veon Bell. Those two players were integral parts of Pittsburgh’s core, and both have an argument as the best player at their respective positions. The trade of right tackle Marcus Gilbert to the Cardinals was an under- the-radar move compared to the above two, but it will be impactful nonetheless.

To compensate for some of Brown’s lost production, the Steelers signed Donte Moncrief from the Jaguars and selected Diontae Johnson in the third round of the draft.

Also in the draft, Pittsburgh selected linebacker Devin Bush from Michigan. Bush was highly regarded by the organization, as evidenced by the fact that the Steelers trade up to get him. Since Ryan Shazier’s injury in 2017, Pittsburgh has struggled at linebacker, and many see Bush as the answer.

Looking Ahead

Despite the loss of key players, the Steelers expect to be more successful this year than they were last year. Missing the playoffs is a rare occurrence in Pittsburgh, and this 2019 team will look to keep it that way.

Roethlisberger, Smith-Schuster, Conner, and a highly regarded offensive line form the nucleus of a team that can put up a lot of points in the AFC North, where the Baltimore defense lost multiple contributors, the Cincinnati defense will rank towards the bottom of the league, and where the Cleveland defense is yet to establish itself. Even in his age-37 season, Roethlisberger should be one of the better passers in the NFL, if last year is any indication. Losing 100 receptions with Brown will hurt, but Smith-Schuster, in just his second season, established himself as the best WR2 in the league. The smart money is on him continuing that success as WR1 this year. Also helping Roethlisberger will be Conner, who, although not as explosive as Bell, proved to be exactly what the Steelers needed last season. He’s a hard-nosed runner who effectively finds the gaps, and he has great hands out of the backfield.

However, just as their rivals could potentially struggle on the defensive side of the ball, the Steelers could also have problems there. With Watt, Tuitt, and Heyward pressuring the passer, Pittsburgh led the league in sacks, but it wasn’t enough to keep the unit out of the bottom portion of the league in most other defensive categories. Bush alone cannot fix these problems, but perhaps he can make a significant dent. He’ll need to if Pittsburgh wants to retain its identity as a swarming, intimidating defensive team.

With the emergence of the Browns, the Steelers have to worry about more than just the Ravens to secure an AFC North crown. They’re certainly an imperfect team, but so are their three division rivals. Head coach Mike Tomlin, historically, has been good at masking imperfections. He’ll have to do so once again for this team to return to the playoffs.