The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't have a ton of expectations in 2022, as they found themselves tasked with replacing longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, which was always going to be easier said than done. But when the season did come to a close, the Steelers finished with a 9-8 record, just missing out on the final playoff spot in the AFC. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't a bad season.
Now Pittsburgh has to build off of their decent campaign this offseason. They have a strong defense, a group of solid playmakers, and an up-and-coming quarterback in Kenny Pickett who they feel very comfortable with moving forward. Things aren't perfect right now, but the Steelers have the building blocks in place; now they have to carry that momentum into the 2023 season.
There are certainly improvements that can be made to this team, and that's what Pittsburgh is going to attempt to do this offseason. The first avenue they will be able to use to upgrade their team is free agency, so let's pick out the Steelers biggest position of need this offseason and look at the one free agent who could easily help fill that need.
Free agent who can fill Steelers biggest need: Javon Hargrave
The Steelers have a couple of big needs this offseason, but their biggest one comes on their interior defensive line. Pittsburgh's defensive line as a whole was exposed at times throughout the 2022 season with their best player in T.J. Watt being forced to miss seven games throughout the season. But their interior line, which was spearheaded by Montravius Adams, needs some work this offseason.
The good news for the Steelers is that arguably the top free agent available right now is Philadelphia Eagles star defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. Hargrave started his career with the Steelers, and given the needs of their team this offseason, it doesn't seem entirely unreasonable to expect a reunion to be on the cards as free agency rolls around.
Hargrave has quietly turned himself into one of the best interior linemen in the NFL during his time with the Eagles. He didn't earn Pro Bowl honors in 2022 like he did in 2021, but it's clear that his 2022 campaign was the best of his career. Hargrave racked up a career 11 sacks, in addition to 60 tackles, ten of which were for a loss, two passes deflected, a fumble forced, two fumbles recovered, and 16 QB hits. Those are some truly dominant numbers.
Hargrave is a three-down interior lineman who can do everything. He is one of the best pass rushers on the interior in the entire league, and while he obviously enjoyed playing on a deep and versatile d-line with the Eagles in 2022, the Steelers have similar weapons, probably even better weapons, to allow Hargrave to make an even bigger impact on the game.
Even without Watt for a stretch of the season, the Steelers still had Alex Highsmith and Cameron Heyward rack up double-digit sacks. But after these three guys, nobody on Pittsburgh had more than two sacks. Not to mention, Heyward was also asked to play on the interior more to combat this weakness for the Steelers, and as he gets older, it's going to be important to keep him on the edge more often to preserve his health.
Adding Hargrave as the anchor of the d-line opens things up for the other players on the Steelers defense. Watt and Highsmith would have far more freedom to roam around and make big plays against both the pass and run, which is saying a lot considering they already have the ability to do so. Not to mention, as we saw above, Hargrave is no slouch when it comes to his production either.
It may seem productive to find upgrades on offense, and while the offensive line certainly needs some help, that will likely be addressed in the 2023 NFL Draft, where there are several strong o-line candidates who the Steelers could take in the first-round. There isn't a proven impact player like Hargrave who will be available for Pittsburgh at this position in the draft, unless Jalen Carter takes a massive tumble down the board.
This feels like the best move for the Steelers in free agency. Pittsburgh is going to need to be patient with Pickett and the offense's development, and they found a game plan that worked for them towards the end of the season. He already has a strong supporting cast on offense, and if the defense can continue to do their part, the Steelers will be a very tough team to beat. If they can manage to land Hargrave, the Steelers will be a dangerous team in 2023 and beyond, making him a very worthwhile target this offseason.
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