Steelers fans can twist themselves into knots over spinning the departures of defensive stalwarts into positives, or take fleeting joy in deriding other teams for spending big in free agency. But the fact is, the Steelers are in terrible shape, and only getting worse. This is what the end of a run looks like.
We know Pittsburgh seldom spends in free agency, and that’s not always a bad thing. After all, the Jaguars have shelled out $1.4 billion in free agency since 2011, and lost 75 percent of their games during that span. But there’s a difference between shrewd maneuvering and downright helplessness. Right now, the Steelers are shedding players, and not adding anybody.
When Ben Roethlisberger agreed earlier this month to take a $5 million haircut this season, he saved the Steelers roughly $14 million in cap space (without the restructure, his cap hit would’ve been an astronomical $41.25 million). But that narrative is misleading, because as we’ve seen, the Steelers still lack the ability to retain their difference-making talent. Pittsburgh apparently decided keeping Roethlisberger was worth surrendering talent elsewhere. That’s a fair judgment to make, considering their backup plan is Mason Rudolph. But there’s no avoiding this truth: Roethlisberger will come back next season with a worse supporting cast — and probably diminished skills.
We’ve known Juju Smith-Schuster was a goner ever since Kevin Colbert selected Chase Claypool over J.K. Dobbins in the draft last year. That supposition was confirmed Monday, when we read the electric, yet enigmatic wideout told his teammates he was likely to sign elsewhere. Never willing to pass up an opportunity for social media love, Smith-Schuster also tweeted a premature farewell to Pittsburgh last weekend.
“No matter what happens this week, if I’m back or if I’m somewhere else, just know that I will never see Pittsburgh as just 4 yrs of my life, but a part of who I am,” he wrote. “I’ll always carry that tough, blue collar spirit for the rest of my life. I LOVE YOU PITTSBURGH #412.”
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Without Smith-Schuster, the Steelers receiving corps will be ripe with inexperience, and it’s uncertain whether Roethlisberger will be able to elevate this next crop of pass-catchers. The Steelers only won two of their final five games last season, and during that stretch, Roethlisberger threw five interceptions with a pedestrian 81.9 quarterback rating. He was also atrocious on that horrible night in Cleveland, throwing four picks.
While it’s tempting to whitewash Roethlisberger’s putrid finish, and focus instead on Pittsburgh’s undefeated start, there’s precedent for Hall of Fame quarterbacks falling off dramatically — and sometimes without explanation. Look no further than Peyton Manning, who put up MVP-caliber numbers through the first three months of 2014, only to struggle with throwing the ball downfield during December.
Sound familiar?
Of course, the Broncos did win the Super Bowl with Manning in 2015, but they rode an elite defense to the Lombardi Trophy. The Steelers are losing pieces on defense left and right, beginning with Bud Dupree, who’s recorded 19.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He developed into the perfect wingman for T.J. Watt, who will now line up alongside second-year rusher Devin Bush. Here’s hoping he recovers from his ACL tear.
Nobody would mistake Vince Williams or Mike Hilton for All-Pros, but both players were useful components in Mike Tomlin’s aggressive scheme. Williams is precisely the kind of NFL story we should all embrace: a sixth-round pick who worked himself up to the top of the depth chart. And now, he’s a cap casualty. Somebody will have to fill his 65 percent of snaps played.
The same goes for Hilton, whom Watt accurately described as the most physical slot corner in the league. Pro Football Focus ranks Hilton as the 34th-best cornerback since 2018. You won’t find that kind of skill level in the bargain bin.
Of course, all three departing defensive veterans are now overpaid, especially Dupree. But the Steelers are deciding to manage their cap over improving their roster. Sometimes that’s the right choice to make, and next offseason, the Steelers may be flush with cash and ready to spend — ala the Patriots.
But they’re destined to take a giant step back this season. Pittsburgh’s dismal free agency looks like it will be a harbinger to a dismal season.