Three Steelers New Years Resolutions for 2020

As our planet concludes another rotation around the sun, it's that time of the year to create our New Year's resolutions for 2020. Annually, popular choices include things such as hitting the gym, eating better and achieving some sort of personal goal.

The celebration is no different for NFL teams, as 31 unlucky teams will again pin the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl at the top of their list next season. The Steelers, still in search of a seventh Super Bowl, are no different.

While bringing home a championship is always the goal, what other resolutions should the Steelers have for 2020?

2019 taught us a lot about the current (and future) state of the franchise, for better or worse. We saw draft picks come and go, a defense rise to it's potential and a duck ultimately fail to deliver down the stretch of the season. While some things simply won't change, the arrival of a new year will be met with some new goals.

Resolutions for the 2020 Steelers:

Finding Ben Roethlisberger's Successor

This may be the most important of resolutions, as losing a Hall of Fame quarterback is one of the most gruesome processes for a franchise. 2019 provided a small sample size of life without Ben Roethlisberger, and the overwhelming consensus is: It doesn't look pretty.

Whether it was Devlin Hodges or Mason Rudolph (post-Cleveland), the Steelers were unable to provide a sustainable offense for any stretch of the 2019 season. When the defense stopped scoring touchdowns, the team stopped scoring in general.

The goal for 2020? Find Roethlisberger's successor. While some may argue that Rudolph looked every bit of the part before suffering a concussion, the jury is still out on Rudolph's future capabilities. Whether it be though free agency, trade or the 2020 NFL Draft, the Steelers are expected in some capacity to at least look at a quarterback.

If all goes to plan, Rudolph won't see the field due to a healthy quarterback room. Regardless, the front office needs to determine if the sample size of Rudolph's play last season was enough. If not, find a young quarterback who you believe can captain the ship for the next ten seasons or so. It's a tall task that's easier said than done, but with the Steelers' current defense, the team can't afford to miss any opportunities at the quarterback position.

Terrell Edmunds Progresses... Significantly

There's no denying Pittsburgh's defense reached new heights in 2019. Players such as T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and others had some of their best seasons to date, playing a pivotal role in the Steelers' unforeseen success.

However, there were a few players on the defensive side of the ball that didn't exactly meet expectations. Linebacker Mark Barron was disappointing upon first touching the field, and failed to overcome poor play throughout the season. The Steelers signed linebacker Anthony Chickillo to a two year, $8 million deal before the season. Chickillo rarely played as a rotational OLB, eating up cap space for little play outside of special teams.

Then, we have Terrell Edmunds.

Edmunds, the team's first-round pick in 2018, hasn't exactly proved himself worthy of the selection just two years into his career. Disclaimer: Edmunds is still a young player with time left to find his footing in this league (look how long Bud Dupree took to progress significantly).

However, the early returns don't scream for Edmunds to be extended. Edmunds is athletic, and would fit better as a "box" safety with his build. However, the Steelers expect Edmunds to make plays all over the field, something Edmunds has struggled with in his first two seasons. Edmunds has also struggled with some mental aspects of the game, something that can be fixed with more experience in the system.

Not to suggest that Edmunds is holding the defense down, but a revitalized Terrell Edmunds paired with Fitzpatrick in the defensive backfield would raise the Steelers defense to potent levels.

Retain Two of Three Players: Bud Dupree, Javon Hargrave and Mike Hilton

It's no secret that the Steelers have little cap space and a handful of important players to retain. After stellar 2019 campaigns, the likes of Bud Dupree, Javon Hargrave and Mike Hilton will likely seek significant pay days in the offseason. The problem? Pittsburgh has less than $5 million in current cap space.

Through a multitude of moves, the team can reach around $20 million without doing significant damage to their roster. The problem? That is likely only able to pay one of the three players listed above, two if the team is lucky.

Dupree, coming off an 11 sack season, is expected to hit the $15 million+ range this off-season. Dupree has expressed interest in staying, but will ultimately do what is best for him, even if it's outside of Pittsburgh.

While not as talked about, Hargrave himself is also looking a decent-sized pay day in the off season. While his numbers may not jump off the page, Hargave's efficiency in both run and pass scenarios has paid dividends for Pittsburgh's interior.

Hilton appears to be the least likely to leave, as he is a restricted free agent (The Steelers have the right to match any offer Hilton receives). Hilton has quickly emerged as one of the league's best slot cornerbacks, a position that continues to grow in importance with each season. His ability to cover and rush the passer from the slot has indeed helped Hilton assert himself on the defensive side of the ball.

At this point, it seems like a stretch for Pittsburgh to retain all three players. Two is the ultimate goal, but even that may seem unreasonable should Hargave/Dupree ask for the key to the safe. With one almost certain to return, we're placing two as the ultimate goal the Steelers should strive for in 2020.