The Steelers were the last to be eliminated from AFC playoff contention a season ago. In their place, the wild-card Chargers upset the Bengals in Round One, then gave the Broncos a competitive game in defeat in Round Two.
Steelers fans can be forgiven for wondering what might have happened if the home club made the postseason. After all, Pittsburgh soundly defeated Cincinnati in Week 15. If the Steelers would have gotten through the wild-card round . . . well, they would have been playing with house money, given their 2-6 start to the regular season. Who knows what could have happened?
Well, we know what actually happened: the Steelers were the AFC’s seventh-best team at season’s end, and though that distinction could soon earn an NFL team a playoff berth, it wasn’t quite enough in 2013. And thus, a season of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s prime ended without a trip to the postseason.
The 32-year-old Roethlisberger was sharp a season ago, throwing for 4,261 yards with twice as many touchdown passes as interceptions (28-14). He seems likely to remain one of the NFL’s better starting quarterbacks this season, too. However, his contract is up after the 2015 season, and he enters his 11th NFL campaign.
With this in mind, should the Steelers be looking to add on offense in Round One? Wide receiver is a position of need for Pittsburgh. There would even be a case to add a tight end early in this draft; Heath Miller, like Roethlisberger, is getting up in age.
However, the Steelers very much need more young talent on defense, with cornerback an obvious position that must be bolstered.
So how should the Steelers proceed with the No. 15 overall pick? Use the poll and comments to give us your take.