Future is Bright for Steelers Young Offensive Core
At season’s end, the oldest starters on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense were Mason Cole, their 26-year old center. Cole signed as a free agent prior to the season and replaced the underwhelming Kendrick Green at that position.
Think about that for a second.
The Steelers overhauled their offensive line after a horrid group blocked for the first-round running back Najee Harris last season. Cole was joined by free agent James Daniels who joined a line of Chuks Okorafor, Kevin Dotson, and Dan Moore Jr.
While the beginning of the season was a bit underwhelming, the Steelers’ young offensive line spent time gelling as the season went on and became one of the better units on the roster by Sunday’s season finale.
They’ll continue to grow and likely all five will return next season. The left side of the line could stand to be upgraded but they’d be fine nonetheless if they stayed the course.
A look at the skill positions on offense provides even more optimism about where the Steelers could go.
Obviously, they seem to have found their franchise guy in quarterback Kenny Pickett. His succession to Roethlisberger didn’t provide gaudy statistics but rather his overall progression from the second half of the Jets game to the final seconds of the Browns finale speaks volumes to how much better he’s gotten.
Pickett’s seven touchdowns to nine interceptions weren’t the type of numbers that will win Rookie of the Year but his ability to win games with late clutch drives and the confidence he’s shown throughout the year prove that he could be the Steelers’ long-term guy if he takes another step in year two.
Harris and undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren seem to have solidified themselves as one of the more effective one-two punches in the league at the position.
Harris became the first Steelers running back to start his career with two 1,000 yard rushing seasons. Many people argue that a first round rookie running back will never live up to the expectations because it is a devalued position but Harris has come as close as possible to doing so in his first two seasons.
Warren impressed in training camp after going undrafted and used that label to his advantage and outworked everyone else to earn the backup position and held on to it for good.
And last but certainly not least is the young pass-catching group the Steelers possess.
Diontae Johnson was the Steelers’ de facto number one receiver heading into the season. The same age as Cole, Johnson was signed to a short term extension for good money and repaid the Steelers with zero touchdowns this season.
He showed flashes of being great but also battled with drops, fumbles, and his penchant for running sideline to sideline instead of straight ahead.
Enter George Pickens.
Pickens was injured at Georgia and dropped to the second round, a position the Steelers couldn’t pass him up in. Once considered the best receiver on the board, his perceived character issues and injury saw him fall.
The Steelers took advantage and Pickens caught 52 passes for 801 yards and four touchdowns on the season. For an offense that didn’t have gaudy passing stats, those qualify as a solid start to Pickens’ career and a potential to be considered the number one receiver in Pittsburgh.
And who can forget a rookie quarterback's best friend in a reliable tight end like Pat Freiermuth?
Freiermuth was the Steelers’ second round pick in 2021 and gained the trust of Roethlisberger in his rookie season. He backed that up with another solid year in 2022 with 63 catches for 732 yards and two touchdowns.
The Steelers would probably prefer he blocked a bit better for a tight end but he’s proven he can be an awesome pass catcher and among the league’s best at his position.
The Steelers have invested a lot of draft capital in their offensive players both on the line and at skill positions. That commitment has given them the opportunity to let the offense grow together and gain some continuity as the season’s tick on.
With the Steelers expensive defense performing as expected, some growth in the offense could immediately push the Steelers back into contention in a quarterback loaded AFC.
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