No matter what you think about the upcoming season, every NFL team has to keep an eye to the future if they want to continue to be successful. Every personnel decision made has to balance what will help the team now and what will help down the road.
One of the reasons the Pittsburgh Steelers have been so successful historically is because the front office understands the balance between the two. ESPN looked at all 32 teams and projected the next three seasons; the Steelers are in good shape. Pittsburgh is the No. 6 team on ESPN’s future power rankings.
The panel gave high ratings to a roster that is in transition following the departures of Brown and tailback Le’Veon Bell, and one that faces another change at some point when the 37-year-old Roethlisberger retires. One improvement that could elevate the team’s Super Bowl chances is Tomlin’s game-day decisions, something he and the entire franchise have worked on this offseason.
The future of this franchise — at least for the next few seasons — all hangs on Ben Roethlisberger. At 34 years old, he is showing no signs of slowing down. Pittsburgh is doing a great job building a young, athletic team but everything revolves around the quarterback. Assuming Roethlisberger continues to play at a high level, this team will remain competitive for the foreseeable future.
