Steelers Added Spice, but Stayed the Course, With Offseason Plan

When reports emerged that the Pittsburgh Steelers were allowing Steven Nelson to seek a trade, only moments before news broke that JuJu Smith-Schuster was signing an $8 million deal, there was plenty of skepticism that this team just made a mistake. But if we know one thing, it's never to jump the gun to react to a Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert decision.

Honestly, the Steelers haven't gotten better in free agency. They're still missing a left tackle, reliable center, running back, and now add corner and inside linebacker to the mix.

Signing Smith-Schuster just didn't make sense. But again, always stay patient.

Once we learned the cap hit of Smith-Schuster's contract is $2.4 million, everything made sense. The Steelers were moving on from Nelson either way, but now, they're doing so as a way to sign other pieces, not sign Smith-Schuster.

Keeping the 24-year-old receiver stay on course with what the Steelers are trying to do. This team is building for a Super Bowl run. It's been their objective since the moment Ben Roethlisberger signed a new contract, and keeping his favorite target may not have been part of the plan, but it's a great addition to it.

The Steelers can now look to add more, smaller pieces like tight end and outside linebacker depth. They'll likely be in the hunt for a cornerback in free agency along with the remainder of their needs, which isn't a big fall back from where they were before to Friday.

Where do they go from here?

The Steelers will look at available linemen in free agency and try to find a fit in a shrinking market. Once Nelson is traded or released, they'll free up another $8.5 million in cap space.

Inside linebacker probably isn't as high on their list of priorities as some believe. Robert Spillane didn't return for nothing. He'll get the first shot at starting next to Devin Bush in 2021, with Marcus Allen playing some role.

Cornerback could be a splash. Cam Sutton allows the Steelers to look at both the inside and outside. Best available, either in free agency or the draft, leaves them plenty of options.

Running back and center haven't been filled yet, and no, B.J. Finney and Benny Snell Jr. aren't the answers. Running back has a pretty good free agency market to shop in, but both can be found in the draft as well.

Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.