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The Pittsburgh Steelers will enter a new era in the 2022 season. Legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger finally announced his retirement after a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the Steelers without their franchise signal-caller. The rest of the roster is built to make the playoffs, so this offseason is a chance to push the roster over the edge into contention. General manager Kevin Colbert will likely be looking to make some big moves in his last offseason as the GM, so this should be an exciting couple of months for the Steelers.
Here are the three moves the Steelers must make during the 2022 NFL offseason.
3 Moves the Steelers Must Make This Offseason
3. Retain Trai Turner
If there's one part of this roster that needs help, it's the offensive line. The unit played terribly for most of last season, and now Turner and starting right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor are both set to be free agents. Turner was one of the few serviceable linemen that the Steelers had last season, so re-signing him is key. The former Carolina Panther only gave up two sacks all year to go along with three penalties. He's a starting-caliber player that Pittsburgh needs to have back.
The offensive line without Turner looks bleak at best. Backup John Leglue will likely step in for Turner, while Joe Haeg starts at right tackle in Okorafor's absence. The rest of the offensive line was poor last season, and they aren't exactly youngsters with plenty of room to improve. Without Turner, this group could be the worst offensive line in football.
2. Draft Derek Stingley Jr.
Pittsburgh's defense will be hit by a variety of departures this offseason, including two of their cornerbacks. Joe Haden and Ahkello Weatherspoon are both free agents, leaving the Steelers thin on the back end. That leaves Pittsburgh with Cameron Sutton and Justin Layne as their starting cornerbacks. Sutton is a solid player, but Layne hasn't played meaningful snaps in the NFL yet. Deploying those two at corner would likely end terribly for the Steelers.
All of Pittsburgh's problems at cornerback can be solved by drafting LSU star Derek Stingley Jr. Stingley had an absolutely incredible rookie campaign for the Tigers, but injuries and inconsistent play have plagued him since then. The fact that he's still a unanimous first-round selection despite two average seasons should speak to his potential. There will obviously be growing pains, but picking Stingley should lock up one cornerback spot for the next four years at least. There's a very good chance he's available when the Steelers come on the clock with the 20th overall pick.
1. Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo
This is a risky move, but one that the Steelers should pull the trigger on. The San Francisco 49ers have made it obvious that Garoppolo is on his way out as their starter, and Pittsburgh has to capitalize. Garoppolo gets a lot of flak for his performance in the playoffs this season, but the fact is that he was a high-quality starter throughout the season. He threw for 3,810 yards, 20 scores, 12 picks, and a 53.3 QBR, which was good for 13th in the league. More important than stats is the fact that he successfully executed the offense he was leading. There's a strong supporting cast in Pittsburgh and a great coaching staff. Garoppolo has shown that he needs specific circumstances to succeed, and the Steelers can provide those circumstances. A second-round pick along with a couple more mid-round selections could get the job done.
