The Pittsburgh Steelers have been as busy as any team so far during the free agency period and with significant draft capital in the early stages of the 2023 NFL Draft, it wouldn't be a bold statement to say that the Steelers could very well have the best offseason of any team in the AFC North. When looking around the rest of the division and the drama that has surrounded seemingly every other team in the Steelers' division, you can't help but be optimistic about the outlook for the black and gold in 2023.
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It was no secret heading into this off-season that the Steelers had many glaring holes on both sides of the line of scrimmage. But, for his second offseason in a row, General Manager Omar Khan has worked his magic and found starter-caliber talent throughout the free agency period. The front office has steered clear of any "splash" signings yet again this off-season which has allowed them to focus on more than one area of need.
Which Free Agent Signing By The Steelers Will Have The Most Significant Impact In 2023?
The Steelers' offensive line as an entire unit made incredible strides throughout the season under first-year offensive line coach Pat Meyer. As a unit, the offensive line had a much better season than was expected. As the season transpired, there was a noticeable improvement in the line play which ended up directly correlating to the emergence of Najee Harris who finished with over 1,000 yards rushing for the second time in his first two seasons in the NFL.
However, there was one hole that was a consistent issue on the line throughout the entire season and that was Kevin Dotson at offensive guard. Dotson lead the team and was 3rd in all of the NFL in penalties (12). Not only did he lead the team in penalties, but he also was tied for 14th in sacks allowed in the NFL in 2022 (4). Although Pro Football Focus gave Dotson a 77.6 pass-blocking grade, it was clear the Steelers needed to go a different direction at left guard in 2023.
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With the Steelers double dipping at the guard position in free agency with the acquisitions of Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, it gives them multiple options at left guard in 2023 and both will be significant upgrades compared to what we saw last season out of Dotson. Most notably Seumalo, who is a seven-year veteran coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Steelers' new guard Isaac Seumalo is proof of assistant GM Andy Weidl's influence on free agency.
Seumalo had a terrific 2022 season with the Eagles where he only allowed one sack all season. Not only is his overall protection much better than Dotson's, but he also had half the amount of penalties that Dotson did in 2022 (6). The penalty aspect is a huge deal when it comes to the Steelers' offense specifically. Although in the grand scheme of things the Steelers weren't near the top of the league in penalties, we saw too many promising drives stalled due to penalties in the red zone and on the opponent's side of the field. With so many young key pieces on the offensive side of the ball, the Steelers simply can't afford to make those mistakes again in 2023 if they want to be serious AFC contenders.
Seumalo also brings over veteran leadership and gives the Steelers' offensive line a true leader who has been to multiple Super Bowls. That is something this offensive line hasn't had since the retirement of Maurkice Pouncey. It is clear that assistant General Manager Andy Weidl is having a significant impact on these free-agent signings and the fact that he is bringing over former Eagles that he has worked with in the past means that he is trying to bring the same brand of football from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
What do you think? Will Seumalo be the biggest impact the Steelers have acquired so far in free agency? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
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