With the NFL Combine just days away, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be narrowing their list of prospects to take in the first round. With many positions to fill with young talent, the direction they could go seems to be infinite. With the obvious concerns with their wide receiver room, cornerback depth, only having Skylar Thompson at the quarterback position, and help along the defensive line, there isn't a clear cut answer for what road they should take in the first round. If the Steelers are truly ready to turn this sinking ship around, they could take the blueprints that the Philadelphia Eagles have laid out for the league to use, but that is easier said than done.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan speaks to members of the media during a press conference at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN.
With this offseason being one of the most crucial for the Steelers in recent memory, Omar Khan and Andy Weidl really have to knock it out of the park. With each free agency signing and every draft pick, they have to add personnel that can make immediate positive impacts. For them, to fix the defensive line so the Steelers can truly control the line of scrimmage, the Eagles' blueprint is something to follow. However, in Ray Fittipaldo's recent Steelers Chat, if Mike Tomlin is truly calling the shots on the Steelers' personnel, fans should be ready to abandon all hope on any monstrous defensive tackles to be taken by Pittsburgh in April.
"At some point, Omar Khan and Andy Weidl are going to have to have more say in the personnel if the Eagles blueprint is going to work," said Fittipaldo. "You don't hear a lot in Philly that Nick Sirianni is super involved in the scouting process. That's because it's Howie Roseman's draft. He picks the players and Sirianni coaches them. So you're right, if Tomlin calls the shots, you might not see the Eagles model here. But if Khan and Weidl have their say, there are plenty of 320 pound plus DTs in this class who could help the run defense and push the pocket on passing downs."
A blueprint that has taken a team to two Super Bowls and helped them win one should be something a coach would be eager to follow, but Tomlin doesn't seem to be. The current defensive line likely going into the 2025 season isn't going to show any type of improvement from last season. If Tomlin doesn't change his ways and become open to adding some true monsters to that defensive line, fans can already plan to watch teams torch the Steelers' defense on the ground, just like they did to end the season.
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Steelers' Cam Heyward taking down Bills' quarterback Josh Allen.
If Art Rooney II is truly on the fans' side and wants to see this team turn things around, he will make sure that Khan and company have full control of the draft board. While a receiver would be nice to get in the first round, there are just too many talented defensive tackles to pass up on in the first. Rooney needs to trust the personnel he placed in charge of the roster to do their jobs and help get things back on track so that his email isn't filled with complaints from fans.
The Steelers' defensive woes cannot continue into 2025. The last five weeks proved that their defensive line needs help. With Cam Heyward not having many years left in the tank and Larry Ogunjobi a possible cap casualty, adding some help for Keeanu Benton should be on top of their list. Unfortunately, they may not happen if Tomlin gets his way and another ending like this past season could be in the cards for Pittsburgh.
The Steelers Need Tomlin To Take A Backseat When It Comes To The Draft
It's time to let the front office do their jobs without Tomlin breathing down their necks. They need to take a page from the Eagles playbook, let Khan make the picks and Tomlin coach them up. Tomlin has bigger fish to fry, with a limited staff that has been raising concerns within the fan base. He needs to make sure they are truly getting the best out of the players that they are assigned to.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) sit in the franchise's draft room as they anxiously watch the board in 2023.
Tomlin needs to become more of a coach, not a general manager. Once he does that, fans could see a shift in the tides and Pittsburgh could be back in the Super Bowl conversation.
Do you think Tomlin has a lot of say when it comes to the draft? If so, is it time for him to take a backseat? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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