After watching the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, it got us thinking about what went wrong for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023 and what must be done if the Steelers want to be seriously considered a Super Bowl contender in 2024. This list isn’t all-inclusive but some of the other problems on the team will go away if these big ones are corrected.
Replace Mason Cole
Center is the weak link on the Steelers offensive line and must be upgraded. The rest of this group is too good to let Mason Cole hold them back. Jackson Powers-Johnson is a popular pick for Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft but they could consider a veteran in free agency.
Add another quality cornerback
Pittsburgh is in a great spot with Joey Porter Jr. but needs to invest in another quality starter either via the NFL draft or free agency. Levi Wallace is a free agent and Patrick Peterson is better suited to be a safety at this point in his career.
Figure out how to win with Kenny Pickett
Can the Steelers be great with Kenny Pickett or in spite of him? The Steelers need to decide if they can build an offense that highlights Pickett (or whoever is starting at quarterback) or does the offense needs to minimize the impact of the quarterback.
Fortify the middle of the defense
From defensive tackle to inside linebacker and strong safety, the middle of the Steelers defense took a beating last season. The Steelers have big decisions to make at inside linebacker and should strongly consider upgrading defensive tackle and strong safety via the draft.
