Recent moves put Steelers in good spot to address needs in draft

Entering the NFL’s legal tampering period last Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers knew some difficult decisions needed to be made.

They had to restructure contracts to fit Bud Dupree’s franchise-tag tender under the salary cap. They prepared to say goodbye to the second-longest tenured player on the roster. They faced cutting a pair of linebackers: a starter on the inside and the top backup on the outside.

They braced for all of these decisions while knowing they would suffer significant losses in free agency.

It was an unenviable situation but one the Steelers typically face every spring as they restructure their roster. And it is one they weathered as the free agency period stretched into the weekend.

The Steelers reworked a handful of deals so they could tag Dupree and have money left over to dip their toes in the free agent waters. They watched Ramon Foster file retirement papers. They lopped the salaries of Mark Barron and Anthony Chickillo from the roster and were powerless to stop Javon Hargrave, B.J. Finney and Tyler Matakevich from finding free-agency riches elsewhere.

Still, general manager Kevin Colbert did what he typically does at this time of the year. He plugged the gaps like a mammoth defensive lineman, filling vacancies on the team’s roster and providing clarity on the Steelers’ direction as they prepare for the NFL Draft.

If the Steelers are done in free agency — they still could make another bargain-bin move or two — they will have checked off some necessary boxes. They signed Stefen Wisniewski to a team-friendly, two-year contract to compete for the starting job at left guard or serve as the top interior backup.

They replaced their best special teams player by signing Derek Watt, who, aside from being T.J.’s older brother, is an accomplished special teamer and fullback. They added another red-zone target for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger by getting tight end Eric Ebron on a two-year, $12 million contract.

The Steelers also tendered two restricted free agents — offensive lineman Matt Feiler and slot corner Mike Hilton — while retaining backup safety Jordan Dangerfield and long snapper Kameron Canaday.

Colbert even swung a trade with the hated Baltimore Ravens, bringing defensive end Chris Wormley aboard in a swap of low-round draft picks in 2021. Wormley will help ease the loss of Hargrave.

And so the Steelers will enter the draft next month with fewer needs than they had a week ago. Tight end was considered a priority until Ebron agreed to terms. The Wisniewski signing and Wormley trade negated the need for the Steelers to address those positions early in the draft.

With their six draft picks, the Steelers can focus on wide receiver, running back, offensive tackle, outside and inside linebacker and, perhaps, the secondary. This class of receivers is the deepest in years, according to most draft analysts, and a potential first-rounder in previous years still could be on the board when the Steelers take their turn at No. 49.

A receiver could be paired with JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Diontae Johnson to provide one of the AFC’s youngest receiver groups. And it could provide insurance in case Smith-Schuster’s contract isn’t extended beyond 2020.

Or perhaps it will be a running back the Steelers seek in the second round as they search for durability that starter James Conner has lacked in recent seasons. On the offensive line, Feiler could move inside to left guard, leaving Zach Banner and Chuks Okorafor to compete for the right-tackle job in training camp. But with left tackle Alejandro Villanueva’s contract expiring next March, the Steelers could seek his successor.

Colbert has lauded the depth at outside linebacker in this class. There is no proven depth on the roster behind T.J. Watt and Dupree, and the latter could move on in 2021 if the Steelers don’t tie him up to a long-term contract. The depth at inside linebacker also is bare behind 2019 first-rounder Devin Bush and veteran Vince Williams.

In the secondary, the Steelers are set at all four starting spots and in the slot, but depth is a luxury at the safety and corner positions.

The options are plentiful as the Steelers move into the next phase of the offseason. Given the moves made this past week, they are in position to patch any existing holes in the draft.