The Pittsburgh Steelers have built a legacy of being one of the best and most challenging defensive teams to face in the league ever since Chuck Noll established the Steel Curtain of the 1970's. Star defensive backs like Donnie Shell, Mel Blount, Rod Woodson, and Troy Polamalu were staples of some of the great units the team has had in the past and are enriched in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for their years of dominance wearing black and gold. Still, one league insider questioned whether the team has a real star at the position as it stands today.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' Rod Woodson is one of three defensive backs that have won AP Defensive Player of the Year for the franchise.
During a segment on a recent episode of Pro Football Talk with league insider Mike Florio, and former NFL quarterback, Chris Simms, the topic of draft needs for Pittsburgh came up and Florio was adamant that the team address the lack of a top-flight defensive back.
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Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio and Chris Simms agreed the Steelers need to find a future star at cornerback in this draft.
"For as good as the Steelers consistently are, they consistently have these glaring holes they never seem to fill," he said. "Since Rod Woodson, they haven't had a high-end corner, Since Troy Polamlu, where is the high-end safety?"
Florio is pretty spot on when it comes to the assessment of the cornerback position and it certainly is one of the roster spots the team will look to address with one of its three picks in the first two rounds. The last cornerback to earn a Pro Bowl nomination for the team was Joe Haden in 2019. The last All-Pro selection was Carnell Lake in 1997. Ike Taylor is the other name in the conversation. He was a very solid pickup for the team in the 2003 NFL Draft, but he never picked up any accolades for his consistent contributions that helped the team pick up two Super Bowl rings.
The team may not have drafted him, but Minkah Fitzpatrick should certainly qualify as a high-end safety. The former Alabama Crimson Tide star made an instant impact after being acquired by former general manager Kevin Colbert in a trade with the Miami Dolphins in 2019. Fitzpatrick is hoping to add his name to that list of Steelers greats in the backfield after signing a four-year, $73.6 million deal before the 2022 season to make him the highest-paid safety in the league at the time and keep him in the 412 area for the foreseeable future. He was essentially the Steelers' first-round pick in 2020. Simms made sure to give him some love later in the show nabbing him with his second pick in the top Crimson Tide alumni in the league.
Steelers' Other Biggest 2023 Draft Need
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The left side of the Steelers' offensive line could see a makeover this offseason, which includes tackle Dan Moore Jr. and guard Kevin Dotson.
The pair agreed the other most pressing need for the team entering the 2023 draft is on the offensive line. The team has actively improved the interior of the unit, but if one of the top tackles is on the board when the Steelers are on the clock, Simms and Florio think the team should pounce. Florio highlighted Kenny Pickett's concussion history as a main reason why the team should be focused on grabbing one of the top tackles in the draft to make sure he doesn't take hits.
Would you lean towards offensive line or cornerback in round one? Comment below!
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