INDIANAPOLIS -- Once the calendar turns over to March, the business of the NFL offseason truly begins to pick up.
Teams do a lot of prep work during the slow period between the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine. But, once the Steelers made their way to Indianapolis this week, all of that preparation was finally put to action.
Thus, we get a much clearer sense of what the Steelers are looking at, thanks to public interviews and conversations had in the halls of the Indiana Convention Center. Seldom are the best-kept secrets made known, but there's more than enough made known to read the tea leaves.
The Steelers need to address cornerback, and perhaps the secondary, in general. It's been a common theme since their season ended, and it's hardly a kept secret here in Indianapolis. Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin holding formal interviews with essentially every top cornerback in the draft class is a clear cut sign of where the priorities lie.
The great thing about this particular group of cornerbacks is there isn't a clear cut No. 1 at the top. Arguments can be made for Illinois' Devon Witherspoon, Oregon's Christian Gonzalez or Penn State's Joey Porter Jr. as the top guy, and there's a solid chance all three are off the board before the Steelers are on the clock at 17th overall. Even so, the remaining group that could be options in the first round, or even at either pick in the second round, gives the Steelers a player that can come in and contribute right away.
Of course, how much they have to contribute will depend on what the Steelers do in free agency. The highest priority for the Steelers is undoubtedly re-signing Cam Sutton.
"We think very highly of Cam," Khan said this week. "We'll see where it goes. It's just like all of our other free agents. Everything is on the table. ... I feel good about where we're at. We do like Cam a great deal."
The sense from Indianapolis is that regardless of what happens with Sutton's future in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are zeroing in on adding a cornerback early in the draft. That's not breaking news by any means. But, as I learned on Friday, the traits that the Steelers are looking for in a new cornerback can provide clearer answers.
The secondary isn't the only position on the defensive side of the ball that the Steelers are paying attention to. Players who can come in and help the front of the defense, whether it's on the edge or inside. Of course, versatility is a trait any NFL team desires, and that's where prospects such as Iowa's Lukas Van Ness and Clemson's Bryan Bresee come into play. Either player could provide their own version of flexibility up front while reinforcing work that needs to be done in the trenches.
If you're wanting another clue that lets you know where the Steelers' priorities were this week, they were able to send five coaches to the Combine to help run drills on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. Secondary coach Grady Brown was one of the coaches working with the defensive backs, and that comes after serving as the national team's defensive coordinator at the Senior Bowl.
In addition, defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and assistant outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin were in the thick of it when defensive linemen and linebackers were on the field for the first day of drills (Martin also served under Brown as linebackers coach at the Senior Bowl). Wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson and assistant offensive line coach Isaac Williams were the other two Steelers coaches that were granted field access to run drills.
Three of only five coaches were brought to Indianapolis to get a closer look at two positions of need. It doesn't take a soothsayer to figure that one out.
That also might tell you how the Steelers prioritize the incoming class of inside linebackers. While there are intriguing names such as Clemson's Trenton Simpson and Iowa's Jack Campbell, it's not a tremendously deep group in the upcoming draft. Conversely, it's as deep as any other position in free agency. This week would also have been a great time for new inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry to get his feet wet and get a closer look at the crop of prospects.
Thus, the Steelers addressing their need for a linebacker in free agency continues to be the expectation here, especially as free agency rapidly approaches. And, Khan's remarks about the flexibility his team will have with the salary cap only fanned that flame.
"You guys have seen through different seasons what kind of shape we've been in," Khan said. "We're obviously in a lot better shape than we've been in the past. There were years where we had to be -- I don't really like to use the word, 'creative' -- but had to do some things. We're comfortable if there's the opportunity to improve our team with someone, we can make things happen and sign (them). There's nothing that will be holding us back."
Of course, offensive line is a need for this team. Even considering the progress the offensive line made over the second half of the 2022 season, it's still a group that needs another piece or two to really be considered one of the best units in the league.
However, Khan made his feelings about last year's group very clear, even when I asked directly about how it plays a role in how they'll address the position in free agency and the draft.
"Just watching their growth and just how those guys came together, it was really cool to see. It was awesome," Khan said. "You always try to improve every positional room when you can. Specifically, to our offensive line group, it was really encouraging to see those guys grow and come together and just become better as the season went on."
The Steelers are still doing their due diligence with the offensive line. The three top tackles in the draft -- Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr., Northwestern's Peter Skoronski and Georgia's Broderick Jones -- all had formal meetings with the Steelers this week. But, Khan's praise of the existing group does call to question just how much the Steelers prioritize upgrading the line, especially in the early stages of the draft.
The sense for the majority of the offseason has been that the Steelers are focused on reinforcing multiple positions on defense. That makes a ton of sense since all of their playmakers on offense, except for Diontae Johnson, are on rookie contracts. The same starting five offensive linemen are under contract for 2023. And, to top it off, Khan said outright about Kenny Pickett: "We have our quarterback."
The focus on the secondary and defensive front has been a priority for the Steelers in Indianapolis. There are still pro days to go through, and those will affect how Andy Weidl and the scouting department construct the big board for the draft. However, it's clear that defense has been the focus at the Combine.
