Tim Benz: Following Kevin Colbert, new Steelers GM will have big shoes to fill, big decisions to make

Outgoing Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert is leaving behind a towering legacy.

He helped build rosters of three AFC Champions, two of which won Super Bowls. The Steelers enjoyed 226 regular-season wins under his guidance, 15 more in the playoffs.

Not to mention drafting Pro Bowlers such as Casey Hampton, Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller, Lawrence Timmons, Maurkice Pouncey, Cameron Heyward, David DeCastro, Ryan Shazier, T.J. Watt and Najee Harris.

And those are just the first-rounders.

Colbert knows that with Pittsburgh’s level of expectation for its NFL team, the task will be challenging for his successor.

“Hopefully, whoever is in there next understands that, and they take it more. They take it further and see what they can do as well,” Colbert said on WDVE Monday.

“I’ll be there to support that person and help them understand that this is a little different around here.”

Largely because of all that success, Colbert could go out on his terms after 22 years. But in the modern NFL, even someone with that kind of track record can’t retire without leaving some questions behind.

So here are some of the biggest challenges — both right away and long-term — facing the person who will be sitting in Colbert’s chair soon … if Colbert doesn’t clean up some of the issues before that candidate is hired.

Streamlining the quarterback situation

Obviously, coach Mike Tomlin will have a heavy hand in this decision-making process.

But it doesn’t seem to make much sense to have either Mason Rudolph or Mitch Trubisky as a third quarterback for gamedays. That can be seventh-round pick Chris Oladokun. Maybe Kenny Pickett can serve that role early in his rookie season. But the former Panther wasn’t drafted No. 20 overall to be a 24-year-old backup.

To avoid quarterback clutter and maybe get an asset in return, it would make sense to move either Trubisky or Rudolph.

Make contract decisions on Diontae Johnson and Minkah Fitzpatrick

Johnson is part of that talented 2019 wide-receiver class that’s making financial noise and resetting the market at the position.

While resetting rosters, too.

It’d be nice if the Steelers could fashion a reasonable extension for Johnson before the fourth and final year of his rookie contract begins this fall.

However, if Johnson’s eyes have gotten big seeing the kind of money that Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs have gotten, I don’t consider that reasonable.

Colbert has left his successor with two intriguing 2022 draft picks (George Pickens, Calvin Austin III) at receiver. Chase Claypool, too. So maybe the new front office will be less forced into meeting a potentially ridiculous asking price from Johnson.

But that’s still going to be a tricky situation to navigate.

Fitzpatrick should be more clear-cut. Expensive. But more direct. Unless the next guy after Colbert doesn’t see the same value in the safety position — or in Fitzpatrick playing it — as Colbert and Tomlin do.

Related:

• First Call: Kevin Colbert shares background on drafting Kenny Pickett; interesting contract twist for Melvin Ingram
• Steelers add veteran safety Damontae Kazee on 1-year contract

Shore up the line play

Speaking of succession plans, another one must exist on the defensive line.

The first step is deciding on — or getting a decision from — Stephon Tuitt as to whether or not he can (or wants to) return to football in 2022.

But even if that happens, Tuitt turns 29 later this month. Chris Wormley does, too, in October. Cameron Heyward (32) and Tyson Alualu (34) are the two oldest players on the team. Tuitt has four voidable years on his contract after this season. Alualu is an unrestricted free agent. Wormley is, as well.

Third-round draft choice DeMarvin Leal appears to be a bit of a “tweener,” but has lots of talent. Beyond him, though, that whole unit needs to be fortified with youth over the next few years.

On the offensive side, Colbert leaves in mid-rebuild as Dan Moore, Kevin Dotson, Kendrick Green and Chuks Okorafor could be entering a second year as starters together. Former Chicago Bear James Daniels should be a welcomed addition at right guard.

The new hire will have to decide if those new pieces are foundational building blocks or just temporary placeholders in the post-Pouncey-DeCastro-Ramon Foster-Alejandro Villanueva era.

Finally replace Ryan Shazier

Twice. Because the “other” inside linebacker besides Shazier is a revolving door, too.

Acquiring Myles Jack in free agency might be a start. But before him, the likes of Mark Barron, Avery Williamson, Robert Spillane, Jon Bostic and Joe Schobert haven’t been close to good enough.

Neither has former first-round pick Devin Bush. Colbert already decided to decline Bush’s fifth-year option. The next general manager will have to determine if Bush has enough of a bounce-back season in 2022 that he is worthy of retaining in free agency as 2018 first-rounder Terrell Edmunds eventually proved to be.

At a very discounted rate by the way.

The Steelers way

That’s all specific, individual stuff.

Big picture, Colbert’s replacement will also have to determine if the franchise is best served by continuing to do business in the same way Colbert, Tomlin and Bill Cowher had gotten so used to doing.

Will all those tried-and-true pillars of Steelers’ business continue?

• No contract extension talks once the season begins.

• Minimize guaranteed money on new contracts beyond he signing bonus.

• Make cap-room by restructuring contracts and kicking the can down the road.

• Try to find low-cost, mid-round draft choice starters at high-valued positions such as offensive tackle and cornerback.

• Keep building through the draft as much as possible. Continue to use free agency and trades as supplemental tools instead of big-ticket attempts for quick improvement like the Los Angeles Rams proved was possible.

In his later years, Colbert appeared to yield on some of these concepts at various times. Be it T.J. Watt’s huge extension or trading for Fitzpatrick and Schobert.

If the new hire comes from outside of the organization, we’ll see exactly how much he thinks those business values are essential to the Steelers’ success.