Tim Benz: Plenty of concerns about the Steelers offense — how much they're paid shouldn't be one

In recent weeks, many people have pointed out the disparity in pay between the Steelers offense and the Steelers defense. At $65 million, Pittsburgh’s offense is the cheapest in the NFL. Their $116 million defense is the NFL’s most expensive.

That has resulted in criticism from many, including FS1’s Colin Cowherd. He thinks the Steelers are out of date for spending so little on the offensive side of the ball when the modern NFL has become so offensively oriented.

“A defensive coach (in Mike Tomlin), 32nd in offensive spending, first in defense spending. That is not a place I would want to be in 2022 and going forward,” Cowherd said recently.

The Steelers have made Minkah Fitzpatrick the highest-paid safety in NFL history...

"The standard in Pittsburgh used to be winning Super Bowls. What do they brag about now?" — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/RENbWFOLz1

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 16, 2022

When I look at the Steelers offense, I question it, too. I question if it’s good enough. I am dubious that Matt Canada is the right coordinator. I have doubts about its level of experience.

But I don’t worry about the expense of the payroll.

To me, the cost — or lack thereof — on offense is indicative of its youth. It’s indicative that the Steelers knew their offense was aging out, and they are rebuilding it.

Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth, Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Kevin Dotson and Dan Moore Jr. are all at the top of the depth chart. They also just drafted a first-round rookie quarterback in Kenny Pickett.

For a while, we were all saying, “Boy, that Steelers offense is expensive, and it’s getting old.”

Well, over the past two years, the Steelers have waved goodbye to Ben Roethlisberger, Eric Ebron, Vance McDonald, David DeCastro, Maurkice Pouncey and Alejandro Villanueva.

According to Spotrac, the combined total of their salary cap numbers in 2020 was $56.8 million. That’s before you get to any wide receivers, running backs, backup quarterbacks or half of the offensive linemen.

Naturally, that side of the ball is going to get cheaper. And since the Steelers don’t tend to cultivate a roster through free agency, it’s going to happen through the draft and players will get exposure on their rookie contracts.

As a result, the offense is going to be inexpensive for a bit. That doesn’t mean it has to stink. Hey, T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick made Pro Bowls on their first contracts on defense. So did Pouncey, Roethlisberger and Le’Veon Bell when they broke into the league on offense.

If criticism is going to come toward the Steelers for how they are spending on offense, I can look at two places.

The first is offensive tackle. The Steelers did decide to pay Chuks Okorafor a three-year, $29.25 million contract this offseason. His $4.33 million cap hit is deceptively small this year. According to OverTheCap.com, it’ll bump to over $13 million next season and $11.8 million in 2024. That’s surprisingly high for a player of Okorafor’s minimal reputation.

He’ll start on one side of the line, and Moore Jr. — a second-year, fourth-round draft choice — will start on the other. I think higher draft capital or money more wisely spent could’ve been thrown at that position over the last two years.

The other position is quarterback. With a ton of quarterback movement this offseason, the Steelers wanted no part of the Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Derek Carr sweepstakes. And Steelers fans all over Pittsburgh keep telling me that was smart.

The team avoided trades and free-agent bidding wars surrounding DeShaun Watson, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan. They didn’t bring Jimmy Garoppolo to Pittsburgh either.

Instead, the franchise drafted Pickett after it signed Buffalo Bills backup Mitch Trubisky to a bargain contract. Steelers fans told me I should be happier about that signing than I am.

But even including those two debatable positions, they’ve got first-round draft choices at running back and quarterback. They have a second-round tight end. They have two second-rounders (Claypool, Pickens) and a third-rounder (Johnson) as their top three receivers.

Plus, two of their bigger signings in free agency were offensive linemen who will probably start at guard (James Daniels, $26.5 million/3 years) and center (Mason Cole, $15.75 million/3 years).

To me, that’s addressing an offense. It’s just doing so without a boatload of upfront cash. Not to mention, if Johnson does get a contract extension, the bottom line for the offense won’t look quite as bargain basement.

So I’m not concerned about how much money is allocated on the offensive side of the ball. I’m concerned about whether they drafted the right people, have the right coordinator in place to run it and if the guys they are bothering to pay are worth the money they are getting.

I also wonder if the more significant concern should be, “Is the Steelers defense overpaid?” as opposed to “Are the Steelers offensive players paid enough?”

After all, $116 million seems like an awful lot of money to pay a unit that was 20th in points allowed, 24th in total yards allowed and dead last against the run.