• Free agency recap: Cameron Sutton was a tough loss, but if newly signed Patrick Peterson can replicate his level of play from last season, the secondary should remain solid.
• Best move of the offseason: Past foot injuries dropped Darnell Washington to the 93rd pick, but he is a supreme blocking talent with impressive receiving chops to match.
• Outlook for 2023: The Steelers are a tough team to get behind on paper heading into the 2023 season, even though the franchise always seems to find a way to maximize its pool of talent.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
As the dust settles on the 2023 NFL offseason, it's time to assess how each team fared in their quest to improve their roster.
Recapping blockbuster trades and high-profile signings to shrewd draft selections, PFF offers an in-depth assessment of all 32 NFL teams, shedding light on the potential impact these moves may have on their fortunes in the upcoming campaign.
For more information on each team's draft selections and offseason moves, download the PFF draft guide today!
PITTSBURGH STEELERS OFFSEASON GRADE: A+
2023 NFL Free Agency
| FA signings | FA losses |
| G Isaac Seumalo | CB Cameron Sutton (DET) |
| WR Allen Robinson II | LB Devin Bush (SEA) |
| G Nate Herbig | DI Chris Wormley (FA) |
| P Braden Mann | S Terrell Edmunds (PHI) |
| LB Cole Holcomb | |
| S Keanu Neal | |
| CB Patrick Peterson | |
| LB Elandon Roberts |
Free agency recap
Cameron Sutton was a tough loss, but if newly signed Patrick Peterson can replicate his level of play from last season, the secondary should remain solid. Peterson racked up five interceptions and 14 forced incompletions for the Vikings in 2022, earning his highest PFF grade since 2018.
On the offensive side, the Steelers again opted for a big-name vet to replace a recently departed player at a premium position. Before the trade deadline, Pittsburgh sent WR Chase Claypool to the Bears, and their free-agent replacement for Claypool ended up being Allen Robinson II, who will be looking to rebound off the 2022 season that saw him produce just 33 catches and 339 yards.
2023 Draft class
R1 (14): T Broderick Jones, Georgia
R2 (32): CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
R2 (49): DI Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
R3 (93): TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
R4 (132): EDGE Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
R7 (241): CB Cory Trice Jr., Purdue
R7 (251): G Spencer Anderson, Maryland
2023 NFL Draft recap
The Steelers loaded up on talent from the Big Ten conference and the repeat national champion Georgia Bulldogs in the draft. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was a great value pick to start Day 2, as he allowed just 47.1% of passes thrown into his coverage to be completed last season.
The Wisconsin duo of Keeanu Benton and Nick Herbig should make the pass rush even stronger, as Benton posted 30 total pressures last year while Herbig put up his second straight season with a pass-rush grade over 91.0.
Best move of the offseason: Drafting Georgia TE Darnell Washington
Past foot injuries dropped Washington to the 93rd pick, but he is a supreme blocking talent with impressive receiving chops to match. He posted an impressive 81.3 run-blocking grade last season to go with 30 catches for 475 yards, 110 of those yards coming after first contact.
Pat Freiermuth has been a solid receiving option for the Steelers, and the addition of Washington should only make him better and allow Pittsburgh to be more flexible with their personnel groupings.
Remaining team needs: Center
Last year, Mason Cole earned his best pass-blocking grade as a full-time starter (63.8), but that was still a below-average mark.
Currently, Cole’s backup may be rookie seventh-round pick Spencer Anderson, who played just 382 snaps at the position in college and struggled as a run-blocker, posting back-to-back run-blocking grades in the 50s.
Pittsburgh should consider looking for depth at the position as the league heads into training camp.
Early position battle to watch: Inside linebacker
This unit has been completely overhauled since last season, with three new faces and a second-year player in Mark Robinson, who played just 44 defensive snaps for the Steelers as a rookie in 2022.
The most likely starters are Cole Holcomb (signed from Washington) and Elandon Roberts (Miami). Holcomb posted an overall grade of 66.6 last season, while Roberts hasn’t surpassed 60.0 since 2018.
The last name in the mix is Tanner Muse, who comes from Seattle. In two seasons, he has amassed just 219 total defensive snaps.
2023 Outlook
The Steelers are a tough team to get behind on paper heading into the 2023 season, even though the franchise always seems to find a way to maximize its pool of talent.
While the pass rush looks to be further bolstered via the draft, the run defense may continue to be an issue — there will likely be no immediate upgrades up front, the linebacking corps has significant questions and most of last season's slot corner reps are gone.
The offense will look to improve in QB Kenny Pickett’s second season, but barring a massive breakout from him, he is clearly the fourth-best signal-caller within the brutal AFC North. Again, historically this team always seems to find a way to play well for head coach Mike Tomlin, but this could be a rough year for Steelers fans, considering the schedule.
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