The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason began after the Buffalo Bills defeated them 31-17 in the AFC Wild Card Round. The 2023 season was a roller coaster ride for Steeler Nation. Pittsburgh won six of their first nine games despite losing Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick for extended periods of the season. The Steelers collapsed over the next five games, slipping back to .500 heading into the final three games of the season.
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Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph waves as he walks off the field after the Cincinnati Bengals game on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Pittsburgh.
Mason Rudolph took over at quarterback with the season on the line because Mike Tomlin had no other choice. The Steelers responded, finished the season with a three-game winning streak, and secured the seventh seed in the AFC. Pittsburgh’s only competent showings on offense in 2023 were under Rudolph. It wasn’t enough, as the Steelers dropped a fifth consecutive playoff game.
Pittsburgh has a lot of decisions to make before the 2024 NFL Draft in Omar Khan’s second attempt at an offseason. Some decisions, like Tomlin’s future, are not entirely under his purview as the General Manager. Here are some key moves the Steelers need to make immediately to give themselves a chance to end the second-longest playoff win drought in the franchise’s history next season.
1. Extend Mike Tomlin
Tomlin is indeed responsible for much of the current mess in Pittsburgh. His leadership style is not resonating with the young players on the roster. Tomlin is especially struggling to reach players like Najee Harris and George Pickens, who are crying out for a more structured environment. Tomlin has one year remaining on his current contract. Pittsburgh will not attract top coordinators who will have no job security if they take the job under those conditions.
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Steelers Team President Art Rooney II and Head Coach Mike Tomlin oversee practice during the 2021 minicamp in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have a unique opportunity to give Tomlin the second act he desperately wants without Ben Roethlisberger. If they choose to use it, Art Rooney II and Khan have the leverage to force wholesale changes on the coaching staff. They should insist on new coordinators with carte blanche to hire their assistants. Tomlin will have the opportunity to oversee a staff with fresh schemes and ideas on how to play football in 2023. He won’t like it, but he should embrace it. Millions of dollars and a two-year contract extension should make it more palatable.
2. Cut Mason Cole And Draft Or Sign A Center
Mason Cole was a disaster during the 2023 season. He was just plain bad at snapping the ball in shotgun formation. Rudolph and Kenny Pickett should get gold gloves for fielding a bevy of one-hoppers. The center position is sacred in Pittsburgh, and Cole’s time playing the position should immediately come to an end. He is not a starting-caliber NFL center for a playoff team.
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Pittsburgh Steelers center Mason Cole points out someone on defense in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The top free agent centers are the Miami Dolphins' Connor Williams and the Las Vegas Raiders' Andre James. Williams is coming off a Week 14 knee injury, but was playing very well before he was hurt. The Raiders traded Rodney Hudson to make way for James, so they will likely not let him get away. They are competent options, but drafting Georgia Bulldogs center Sedrick Van Pran or Zach Frazier from the West Virginia Mountaineers is a less expensive option with a higher upside.
3. End The Pressley Harvin III Experiment
It has been three full seasons with Pressley Harvin III as the Steelers punter. Pittsburgh drafted him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Kevin Colbert broke two cardinal rules in his final draft. He drafted a running back in the first round and used a draft pick on a punter. Pittsburgh's roster was full of holes, and Colbert did not address any of them with the Harvin selection.
Don Wright / AP Photo
Pittsburgh Steelers punter Pressley Harvin III has been relied on to flip the field during an offensively challenged 2023 season.
He has talent. Harvin has occasionally boomed 60-plus yard punts. Unfortunately, when the situation calls for a precision kick or simply a league-average one around midfield, Harvin has been almost incapable of delivering for the black and gold. He saves his worst efforts for the most inopportune times in games. Exceptional punters are worth their weight in gold. Harvin barely tips the scale, and his absence from the 2024 roster is essential to help a rapidly aging defense.
4. Drastically Reduce Cam Heyward's Cap Hit For 2024
Heyward is the defensive captain of the Steelers. He has been an All-Pro and has a chance to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Heyward is very near the end of his career, and if he chooses to return under certain conditions, Pittsburgh should absolutely facilitate it at the right price. The NFL is a business, and Heyward's $22 million cap hit in 2024 is simply too much money for his current production level. The Steelers need to spend that money elsewhere.
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Steelers' Cam Heyward Honors Franco Harris
Jerome Bettis, Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward, and Roethlisberger all endured similar fates at the end of their careers. It is time for Heyward to accept a massive pay cut and help the Steelers bolster a roster ravaged by years of bad draft classes. Heyward should retire as a Steelers legend and captain, but not if they have to pay him $22 million to do it. He is still an effective piece of a good defense, but he is not a cornerstone building block in 2024.
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The quarterback position is a pressing need, but the Steelers must wait and see how things play out in Chicago, Minnesota, and Denver before they can assess their options. It is the biggest offseason question, but can't be addressed immediately. Pittsburgh has other moves to make first, like cutting Chukwuma Okorafor and Mitch Trubisky to free up the cap space they need if they go after a veteran quarterback.
Khan is also facing a decision on Harris' fifth-year option and whether to extend Pat Freiermuth's time in the black and gold. Khan will have his work cut out for him, continuing the roster makeover he started in 2023. Pittsburgh still has holes, and it will be exciting to see which Khan prioritizes before the 2024 NFL Draft.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Are these the first four moves you would make, or should the organization do something different? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
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