The 2023 NFL Draft is now well in the books.
There will be more additions to rosters around the league and those moves are certainly important and impactful. There will also be some cuts and trades, of course. But this is still a great time to go position-by-position and compare the Steelers' roster to their three AFC North counterparts.
Here are the most relevant players at each position and where the Steelers currently stack up.
Spoiler: The Steelers can hold their own in one of the toughest divisions in football.
QUARTERBACK
• Steelers: Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky
• Ravens: Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley
• Bengals: Joe Burrow, Trevor Siemian
• Browns: Deshaun Watson, Josh Dobbs, Dorian Thompson-Robinson
• Analysis: The Bengals win this one with Burrow, but this very well could end up being one of the very best quarterback divisions in the league.
Getting Jackson, a top eight or better NFL quarterback, back is huge for the Ravens, of course. Watson was dreadful last year, but he still gets the nod over Pickett, who just doesn’t yet have the body of work but is very much on the path of becoming a high-quality starting quarterback -- if not more.
Trubisky is the best backup in the division, but Cleveland did make an intriguing draft pick in Thompson-Robinson as a potential long-term backup at a cheap price for Watson. If Watson isn’t a top-five NFL quarterback, the Browns' trade with Houston will not pay off. He was terrible last year after a layoff of 700 days between playing NFL games. Of the 37 quarterbacks that played 200 snaps or more last year, Watson finished 31st in EPA, Pickett was 25th, Jackson came in at 13th and Burrow finished 8th. There is a very strong argument that only Patrick Mahomes had a better year than Burrow in 2022.
RUNNING BACK
• Steelers: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren
• Ravens: JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Pat Ricard
• Bengals: Joe Mixon, Chase Brown
• Browns: Nick Chubb, Jerome Ford
• Analysis: Chubb is clearly the best back in the division, and it isn’t close. He might be the best pure runner in the league. But, Cleveland’s depth here is the worst of the four teams.
Mixon is coming off a very uninspiring season and Dobbins has a tough time staying on the field as he enters a crucial juncture of his career.
Valuing Ricard is tricky, as he is a truly unique player that was instrumental in the past. But how much will new offensive coordinator Todd Monken utilize this killer giant fullback?
WIDE RECEIVER
• Steelers: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson, Calvin Austin, Anthony Miller, Miles Boykin, Gunner Olszewski
• Ravens: Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers, Nelson Agholor, Devin Duvernay
• Bengals: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Charlie Jones, Trenton Irvin, Andrei Iosivas
• Browns: Amari Cooper, Cedric Tillman, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Bell, Marquise Goodwin, Anthony Schwartz
• Analysis: This is clearly the best group of wideouts Jackson has had to throw to and few units at any position in the NFL are more improved than Baltimore’s wide receivers.
They’ll need Beckham and Bateman to actually stay healthy, however. The Browns adding Tillman and Moore also really boosts what Watson is going to be throwing to and the Steelers now have a deep and potent group at this position, as well. Expect the Browns to throw the ball much more going forward.
But, Cincinnati very well could have the best wide receivers in the league, and they must be first in this conversation. Keeping Burrow, Chase and Higgins all in Cincinnati will be the big challenge, however.
TIGHT END
• Steelers: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Zach Gentry, Connor Heyward
• Ravens: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar
• Bengals: Irv Smith Jr., Drew Sample, Devin Asiasi
• Browns: David Njoku, Jordan Akins, Harrison Bryant
• Analysis: Andrews is the best tight end weapon in the AFC North. As mentioned above, the Ravens' offense might be drastically changing from a stylistic perspective, though, possibly featuring the wide receivers more.
Likely had an exciting rookie season. Njoku is very impressive and coming into his own, but from top to bottom, the Steelers' group is the one with the most value. The addition of Washington could go a long way, and Freiermuth is a budding star. Cincinnati is an easy fourth, but it will be interesting to see if Smith can resurrect his career with his new team.
OFFENSIVE LINE
• Steelers: Broderick Jones, Chukwuma Okorafor, Dan Moore, Isaac Seumalo, James Daniels, Mason Cole, Kevin Dotson, Nate Herbig
• Ravens: Ronnie Stanley, Morgan Moses, Patrick Mekari, Daniel Faalele, Kevin Zeitler, Ben Cleveland, Tyler Linderbaum
• Bengals: Orlando Brown Jr., Jonah Williams, La’el Collins, Jackson Carmen, Alex Cappa, Ted Karras, Cordell Volson
• Browns: Jedrick Wills, Jack Conklin, Dawand Jones, Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Nick Harris, Luke Wypler, James Hudson
• Analysis: Getting Brown is a huge boost for the Bengals' offensive line. We will see where everyone shakes out, but they do have depth.
The Browns' pair of guards is probably the best in the league, and they still are quite good at tackle and center. Cleveland gets the nod as the best line in the division, but it isn’t a runaway by any means.
The biggest key for Baltimore is Stanley staying healthy and playing at a high level, which has been problematic since his injury. Linderbaum also could take a big step forward in his second year.
But, don’t overlook the Steelers here. With their new additions and development from their young big men, the Steelers could end up with the best line in the division and one of the top groups in the NFL. There looks to now be four quality offensive lines in the AFC North.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
• Steelers: Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, DeMarvin Leal, Armon Watts, Breiden Fehoko, Montravius Adams
• Ravens: Michael Pierce, Travis Jones, Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington
• Bengals: DJ Reader, BJ Hill, Zach Carter
• Browns: Dalvin Tomlinson, Siaki Ika, Jordan Elliott, Trysten Hill, Perrion Winfrey, Maurice Hurst
• Analysis: Because of Heyward, the Steelers are No. 1. Plus, Ogunjobi could have a healthier and more effective second season with the team (as could Leal) and Benton could really help out as a rookie.
Cleveland’s defensive tackles were among the worst position groups in the entire league last year, but their two new big-bodied additions in Tomlinson and Ika should at least allow their linebackers to stay cleaner than in 2022. Reader and Hill are one of the most underrated pairings in the league, but Cincinnati’s depth isn’t great, while Baltimore's group is less impressive than often given credit for.
EDGE RUSHER
• Steelers: TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig
• Ravens: Odafe Oweh, Tyus Bowser, David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson
• Bengals: Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai
• Browns: Myles Garrett, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Isaiah McGuire, Alex Wright
• Analysis: Watt vs. Garrett? Garrett vs. Watt? That is a wash, really, as both are truly elite edge defenders.
The Browns did a nice job of getting Garrett’s complements in Okoronkwo and McGuire, but the Bengals are really going to keep a strength a strength with the first-round addition of Murphy to groom behind Hendrickson and Hubbard.
What is most clear in this conversation is that Baltimore is a distant fourth. The Ravens really need Oweh and Ojabo to step up in a big way in 2023. Both have the talent to do so but are very unproven.
LINEBACKER
• Steelers: Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Mark Robinson
• Ravens: Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen, Trenton Simpson, Malik Harrison
• Bengals: Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, Akeem Davis-Gaither
• Browns: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Anthony Walker, Jacob Phillips, Sione Takitaki
• Analysis: Smith is the best off-the-ball linebacker in the division and it isn’t close. So, the Ravens are tops here.
Who is even the second-best linebacker in the AFC North? Wilson or Pratt would probably get that nod, so the Bengals come in second here. The Browns have a bunch of unknowns at this position with only Owusu-Koramoah as a high-upside player.
Holcomb should be more than solid for the Steelers and the changes at this position overall should be an upgrade, but it is hard to imagine above-average linebacker play for the Steelers this year. Still, they are ahead of Cleveland.
SAFETY
• Steelers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, Keanu Neal
• Ravens: Marcus Williams, Kyle Hamilton, Geno Stone
• Bengals: Dax Hill, Jordan Battle, Nick Scott
• Browns: Juan Thornhill, Grant Delpit, Rodney McLeod
• Analysis: Fitzpatrick is far and away the best safety in the division and the Steelers' safeties, as a result, are likely the best unit overall.
Baltimore is the only team in contention, really. Williams is one of the best deep middle defenders in the league and Hamilton, who basically was a big slot defender as a rookie, has immense upside.
Like the Steelers did at linebacker, Cincinnati made wholesale changes at safety, but it is extremely unlikely that they upgraded over the departed Jessie Bates. There will likely be growing pains for the Bengals' safety group. Cleveland’s safeties are rather unassuming, but Thornhill could be a decent addition and Delpit has ability.
CORNERBACK
• Steelers: Patrick Peterson, Joey Porter Jr., Levi Wallace, Ahkello Witherspoon, Chandon Sullivan, Arthur Maulet, James Pierre, Cory Trice Jr.
• Ravens: Marlon Humphrey, Rock Ya-Sin, Brandon Stephens, Kyu Blu Kelly, Jalyn Armour-Davis
• Bengals: Chidobe Awuzie, Cam Taylor-Britt, Mike Hilton, DJ Turner, Sidney Jones
• Browns: Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, Martin Emerson, Cameron Mitchell
• Analysis: The recent addition of Ya-Sin helps the Ravens' case, but their depth -- which is extremely important at this position -- is still highly questionable.
The best cornerback in the division is either Humphrey or Ward, but as is the case with Baltimore, Cleveland’s depth could become problematic. Much like the Steelers, Cincinnati has a lot of capable cornerback bodies right now with varied skill sets.
But, what if Peterson and/or Porter Jr. plays at a really high level in 2023? When you see the names on paper, it is rather overwhelming how many potential cornerbacks the Steelers currently have who can be contributors.
