Amidst the Antonio Brown saga and the comings and goings of coaches, the Steelers also have begun looking at the 2018 season as a whole and the team's shortcomings that led to a 9-6-1 record and missing the playoffs.
We'll start to break things down now by taking a look at the offense today.
The statistics show Randy Fichtner was highly successful in his first season as offensive coordinator. The Steelers ranked first in the league in red zone scoring offense, converting trips into touchdowns 73.4 percent of the time. That was the highest in the league since Kansas City posted a 76.2 percent success rate in 2003.
The Steelers also ranked fourth in the league in yards per game and tied for six in points per game.
But the offense also had its shortcomings.
While the Steelers were second in the league in passing at 313 yards per game, they were 31st in rushing at just 90.3 yards per game. This despite getting six individual 100-yard rushing games, five from James Conner and one from Jaylen Samuels.
But four games with 40 yards or less rushing will certainly hurt a team's average. Not surprisingly, the Steelers went 1-3 in those games.
The heavy reliance on the passing game led to an increase in turnovers, not just because Ben Roethlisberger threw a league-high 16 interceptions, but because the Steelers also lost nine fumbles. Throw in an interception by backup quarterback Josh Dobbs in Oakland and the Steelers' 26 turnovers were seventh most in the league.
A closer look at that, however, shows that as a team, the Steelers were tied for sixth in most interceptions thrown during the season. So while Roethlisberger did, indeed, lead the league in picks, six other teams had as many or more, led by Tampa Bay's 26.
His interception percentage of 2.4 per 100 passes was the same as the Chargers' Phillip Rivers. The only difference was that Rivers threw 167 fewer passes and finished with 12 interceptions.
The problem was that some of those interceptions and turnovers came at very inopportune times, helping to cost them potential wins at Cleveland, Denver, Oakland and New Orleans. Cut down on just one of those damaging road turnovers and the Steelers would have been in the playoffs.
So how do the Steelers cut down on the turnovers? Less passing would be one obvious way to do that. The Steelers had a 2-1 pass-run ratio in 2018 that was the highest in the league.
Considering their current situation with Brown, they might not have a choice but to adjust the offense to one more reliant on the run in 2019.
The Steelers also will work hard on a contract extension with Roethlisberger, who turns 37 this offseason, that should lock him up through the age of 40, at the very least.
With Le'Veon Bell's decision to sit out the entire 2018 season, the Steelers were forced to go with Conner as their main ball carrier. He responded with 973 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground despite missing three games.
But given his injury issues -- he's had shoulder, knee and ankle injuries in each of his first two seasons -- the Steelers will want to add another running back in the offseason to compliment Conner.
The Steelers have kicked around the idea of placing the transition tag on Bell, who will once again head into this offseason as an unrestricted free agent after the team put the franchise tag on him the past two seasons, but that seems highly unlikely now. Remember, Mike Tomlin said prior to a midseason game in Baltimore, the Steelers "want volunteers, not hostages."
Samuels saw increased playing time as his rookie season wore on, but he's still learning how to be a running back at the NFL level. Because of that, he can be indecisive hitting the hole quickly, which is why the coaching staff chose to use veteran Stevan Ridley as a short-yardage back late in the season.
That decision led to a costly fumble in New Orleans. And fumbles as a whole were an issue with the group, as Conner had four, Ridley two and Samuels one.
That's too many for the unit considering they combined for 300 rushing attempts and 83 receptions.
This isn't a great draft year for running backs and because Conner is heading into his third season and Samuels his second, acquiring a veteran back to replace Ridley will be a must.
The offensive line was once again one of the strengths of the team, allowing just 24 sacks. Part of the reason for that was because Roethlisberger got rid of the ball faster than any quarterback in the league on second and third downs according to NextGen Stats, but also because it's a good group.
Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva had his best season, while center Maurkice Pouncey and right guard David DeCastro were their usual solid selves. Those three all were named to the Pro Bowl, though Pouncey was the team's only All-Pro selection.
Left guard Ramon Foster was good, as well, but is 33 and headed toward unrestricted free agency. With talented backups in B.J. Finney, a restricted free agent, and Matt Feiler available to battle for that spot, Foster could be playing elsewhere in 2019.
Finney is a restricted free agent, so the Steelers will make him a tender offer and try to sign him to a long-term extension at some point, while Feiler is an exclusive rights free agent. The Steelers obviously will pick up Feiler's contract.
The other question on the line will be what to do with right tackle Marcus Gilbert? Gilbert has one year remaining on his contract at a reasonable salary of $4.8 million. But he also has missed 20 games because of injury and suspension the past two seasons.
Feiler filled in admirably for Gilbert in 2018, making 10 starts and rookie Chuks Okorafor, a third-round pick, and Jerald Hawkins, who missed all of 2018 with a quad injury, are waiting in the wings.
It's going to be a big offseason for Hawkins, in particular. He's missed two of his three seasons with injuries, leaving him with just one year remaining on his contract. The 2016 fourth-round pick is still just 25 but has to show he can stay healthy.
If Foster is not re-signed, the Steelers could choose to keep Gilbert to allow them more depth up front.
That issue pales in comparison when weighed against the team's pending decision on what to do with Brown.
The 30-year-old posted his NFL-record sixth-straight 100-reception season and led the NFL with 15 touchdown catches. But his decision to go AWOL in the final week of the season was something the team just can't overlook.
Compounding the issue is the fact Brown won't return calls from team president Art Rooney II or Tomlin. While some have suggested the star receiver doesn't want to be traded, his actions have spoken louder than his words, which have been few and limited to Instagram posts.
There will be a market for Brown, even though he'll be 31 when the 2019 season begins. But the Steelers can't trade him until the new league year begins March 13. But they also owe Brown a $2.5 million roster bonus March 17, so they could be looking at trying to move him in a four-day window unless they're willing to write him a big check.
It makes for what could be an interesting offseason in the team's receiver room. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Eli Rogers and Justin Hunter are all headed toward unrestricted free agency. That means the only receivers under contract for 2019 are JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Ryan Switzer.
Smith-Schuster took a big step forward in 2018, winning the team MVP award after catching 111 passes, but benefitted greatly by the presence of Brown. Heading into his third NFL season, the 22-year-old will be asked to move into the role of a true No. 1 receiver if Brown is traded.
Without Brown, the Steelers would need Washington to make a big step forward in his second season after catching just 16 passes as a rookie. They'll also likely need to add another outside-the-numbers threat at receiver to give them the option to use Smith-Schuster in the slot or on the outside.
The tight ends combined for 86 receptions in 2018, with Vance McDonald catching 50 of those. That was the team's most receptions by the position since 2013, but 30 of those came from Jesse James, who will be an unrestricted free agent. Third-stringer Xavier Grimble, whose fumble at the goal line at Denver was a huge moment in that game, is a restricted free agent, as well.
Look for the Steelers to try to re-sign James before free agency begins and make a qualifying offer to Grimble.
