| The NFL draft will be held from Thursday April 28 through Saturday April 30 at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago. Expect the Steelers to focus on defense. Below is a list of team needs, most desperate first. Players the Steelers talked to at the Senior Bowl, combine, their pro day and/or took an official visit to Pittsburgh are listed roughly in order of their perceived value. These are not necessarily exhaustive lists, someone could have been missed. Some of the visits were likely just the Steelers doing their due diligence on players that have some question-mark, on and/or off the field. Just because someone was not specifically talked to or asked to visit is far from a reason to think they will not be strongly considered in the draft. The Steelers currently have seven total picks. Their own first four and seventh rounders. They traded a fifth rounder to the Eagles for departed Brandon Boykin and a sixth rounder to the Jaguars for departed Josh Scobee. They were awarded a sixth round compensatory pick and acquired a seventh rounder from the Giants for Brad Wing. Immediate Needs CB:Antwon Blake signed with the Titans. Quite frankly he will not be missed. Boykin left for Carolina, he was vastly underutilized in his time wearing Black and Gold. Boykin came on late in the season and his return would have been welcome. William Gay was resigned out of necessity. Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin seem confident that last year's diminutive second round selection Senquez Golson can step in on the other side. Golson missed his rookie year after shoulder surgery. Both Gay and Golson are undersized and on most teams would likely be limited to nickle slot duty. Ross Cockrell was up-and-down after being picked up off waivers from the Bills. The front office and coaching staff are also counting on him to improve. A contribution from last year's fourth rounder Doran Grant is not out of the question. The decision was finally made to release Cortez Allen. To say the least the current depth chart at corner does not breed confidence. For some reason Colbert and Tomlin don't seem all that concerned. The Steelers' hierarchy simply does not seem to value corners the same way as other franchises.
S:Just about every possible first or second day safety plus a few third day possibilities made an official visit to the South Side. A partner for Mike Mitchell is obviously a major need. Shemarko Thomas never developed on defense, settling in as a special teams contributor. Resigned Robert Golden is best suited to a dime role in addition to special teams. Will Allen remains a free agent and could be resigned in case of emergency which nobody in their right mind actually wants to happen.
NT/DT:Steve McClendon left to join the Jets. Daniel McCullers is expected to step in as a two down run stuffer. He should be fine in that role. There is no depth and possibly more seriously no disruptive interior sub-package pass rushers on the roster.
Depth/Future Needs OT:On the right side Marcus Gilbert is a fixture. Free agent Ryan Harris was signed from Denver to compete with Alejandro Villanueva on the left side after Kelvin Beachum signed in Jacksonville. Neither Harris nor Villenueva is a sure thing especially in the long term despite them having started a combined 31 games last season in the regular season and playoffs due to injuries.
OLB:The expected return of 37 year old James Harrison somewhat alleviates the immediate need for edge players. A pure pass rusher would still be welcome. Arthur Moats is a workmanlike edge setter against the run. Former first round pick Jarvis Jones is quickly approaching bust status. Last year's first rounder Bud Dupree flashed difference making ability as a rookie. Even should he fully develop a bookend for the future must be found. Should he regress then the Steelers are in big trouble.
DE:Starters Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt are both Pro Bowl caliber. The only depth is provided by the far from imposing Laterrius Walton and Caushaud Lyons. Coordinator Keith Butler seems more interested in 5-techniques that can get up-field and disrupt plays over limited 2-gap space eaters. Someone that can also rush from the inside in sub-packages would be especially useful.
G/C: The resigning of Ramon Foster means the interior offensive line will be back including presumably Maurkice Pouncey from a broken leg. Pouncey's recovery has been slowed by infection. Depth is an issue. Cody Wallace struggled in relief of Pouncey last season, no serviceable backup guards are currently on the roster. ILB:Backup Sean Spence signed with the Titans, former Titan Steve Johnson was signed as a replacement. Johnson should be an improvement on special teams. Starters are both former first rounders. Backup Vince Williams is solid. The long term future of soon to be 30 year old Lawrence Timmons is the only real concern. Last year the Steelers showed an interest in hybrid coverage backer Shaq Thompson. Trying to find a similar player is probably the goal, interior run stuffers need not apply.
WR:Not a need before the unfortunate substance abuse suspension of Martavis Bryant. Still probably only a third day possibility with Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Sammie Coates and Darius Heyward Bey on the depth chart. Coates flashed big play ability in the playoff loss to Denver. Colbert has proven to be adept at finding third day receivers.
QB:A veteran is needed to back up 34 year old Ben Roethlisberger. Bringing back Bruce Gradkowski returning from injury doesn't seem like a particularly good idea. There has been speculation that Brian Hoyer could be an option, he was briefly on the Steelers in late 2012. A rookie to groom is also not out of the realm of possibility. Landry Jones is a bust, ties with him should have been cut already.
RB:The depth chart is topped by LeVeon Bell and DeAngelo Williams. Injury and age are concerns. Bell has suffered season ending injuries the last two years. His full return from a torn MCL by the start of training camp is not guaranteed. Williams just turned 33 and is under contract for only one more season. Adding a back on the third day is possible, the visit by Booker sort of suggests the right back could be considered if he falls more than expected to the end of the third round.
Not a Need TE:In a somewhat uncharacteristic move the Steelers dipped into the free agent pool to sign Ladarius Green to replace retiring Heath Miller. Backup Matt Spaeth and developmental 2015 draftee Jesse James fill out the depth chart. I have personally been on record as despising Spaeth since he was drafted, let alone since he returned from the Bears as a free agent. Even I can admit right now trying to replace him would not be the best use of available resources.
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