Getty Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert during a press conference.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing an unprecedented situation. Their quarterback of nearly two decades has hung up his cleats, and their general manager of 22 years is stepping down after the NFL draft in April. Both are Hall of Fame talents who are, essentially, irreplaceable.
Ironically, the tall task of trying to find Ben Roethlisberger’s successor lies primarily on the shoulders of nearly departed general manager Kevin Colbert.
We all can debate until we’re blue in the face about what Colbert and the Steelers will do at No. 20 overall (and their five picks beyond), but only they know how their draft board looks — and even that is fluid until the week of the draft, which begins April 28.
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Of course, one of the hotly contested topics is the Steelers’ quarterback situation. Head coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t been shy about his team’s desire to add another quarterback to the roster. In a March 27 interview with Pittsburgh Steelers team reporter Missi Matthews, Tomlin said it was likely that a fourth quarterback would be added via the draft.
“The draft, I think, is our target as we sit here today, but there’s so many moving parts in draft development. … We’ll see what happens and transpires,” Tomlin said. “Obviously, how the names come off the board have a lot to do with that.”
Coach Tomlin speaks to @missi_matthews about the additions to the coaching staff & the roster, the QBs, building the team, GM Kevin Colbert & more.
Full 🎥: t.co/HowQlPrBkf
All About the QB
The key to Mike Tomlin’s statement is the words “how the names come off the board.” The comment implies that if a quarterback the Steelers like is still available when they’re on the clock, they’ll take him.
Kevin Colbert, Tomlin’s partner in the draft process, echoed the sentiment when he told reporters March 27 at the NFL Annual League Meeting that the Steelers don’t have to reach in the draft and that they are holding onto their draft capital, according to The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly.
Kevin Colbert said that they don’t have to reach in draft. Also said that doesn’t mean they won’t draft a QB. Did mention a handful of times of keeping their draft capital
So, I take it as if there is a QB they love at 20 they would take him, but moving up to do it is not likely
“I think we go into the draft feeling that we can add from the bottom up, not necessarily having to plug in a starter,” Colbert said, according to a March 27 story by Kaboly. “That’s always a nice place to be when you’re entering into the draft, and you try to take the best players. I’ll also add that anything we did in free agency will not preempt us from taking another player at any of those positions where we’ve added players.”
The Steelers were unusually active during the first wave of free agency, addressing needs at several positions but not at safety. The signings of newcomers Mitch Trubisky (quarterback), Mason Cole (center), James Daniels (guard), Myles Jack (linebacker), Levi Wallace (cornerback) and Gunner Olszewski (wide receiver) will allow the Steelers flexibility and freedom when it comes to the draft. While Pittsburgh still needs depth at receiver, cornerback and both lines, Colbert said he felt the team has “starting caliber” players at 25 of 26 positions, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Kevin Colbert says he believes the Steelers currently have starting-caliber players for 24 of 25 positions. The lone vacancy is at strong safety.
Signing Trubisky also gives them security. If the quarterback they want — and judging from what they saw at his March 22 pro day, that quarterback appears to be Malik Willis — is gone by pick 20, the Steelers could draft a suitable camp arm in the later rounds.
It simply doesn’t make sense to mortgage the future just because you need a fourth quarterback, even if he has starter potential after a year or two of development. It’s widely viewed that the quarterbacks in this draft class aren’t as strong as in years past. If a quarterback’s talent is not worthy of a first-round selection, why pick him there?
Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post reported the Steelers “would consider trading up if their top QB slips past nine.”
Who do you believe?