Going into the 2022 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers put together what they believed was going to be a competitive roster. Now, after 10 games there’s no doubt this is not the case. Here are the four roster mistakes the Steelers made in the previous offseason that must be corrected once the season is over.
Believing they had a No. 1 wide receiver
Pittsburgh gave wide receiver Diontae Johnson a contract fitting of a true No. 1 wide receiver but there were always questions about if he could carry the offense as a receiver. Pittsburgh did draft George Pickens who could have No. 1 potential but then trading away Chase Claypool presses Pickens into that position. Would anyone consider Pickens or Johnson on par with the top tier of receivers in the NFL?
Replacing Stephon Tuitt easier said than done
The Steelers got a taste of what the Steelers’ defensive line is like without Stephon Tuitt but didn’t really make a concerted effort to replace him once he retired. Instead, the Steelers are relying on Cam Heyward and a rotation of average players without a true run-stuffing nose tackle.
How important a true No. 1 cornerback is
First off, we need to be clear that Cameron Sutton has been rock solid this season as a full-time starter. However, putting the faith in Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace opposite Sutton really highlighted that much like wide receiver, this season has a lot of No. 2 guys but no true No. 1.
Thinking that Dan Moore can be a starting left tackle
Pittsburgh added two interior offensive linemen in free agency who quickly developed into starters but the team made no moves to ensure the left tackle spot was in good hands. Dan Moore was ok as a rookie in 2021 but he did nothing to give hope that he was the future of the position.
