Unlike last year, Steelers could go in several directions with top draft pick

When the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up 10 spots and selected linebacker Devin Bush with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, it hardly constituted as a surprise.

Team president Art Rooney II admitted as much, calling the Bush selection “maybe the worst-kept secret of the draft.”

The Steelers had a need at the position — general manager Kevin Colbert even uttered the word he is loathsome to use — and they had the capital to move up and select one of the top two linebackers available.

This year presents a different storyline for the Steelers, and it’s safe to say neither Rooney nor Colbert can predict who the Steelers might grab with their top pick.

For starters, the selection won’t come until the second round, and, barring an unlikely trade, it won’t be until the No. 49 overall pick. Also, the Steelers don’t have a gaping hole on their roster much like they did a year ago when they were intent on finding Ryan Shazier’s replacement at inside linebacker.

That’s not to say the Steelers don’t have roster spots that require fortification. They do, and coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged it on a video conference call with reporters Monday.

“We have some positional need, no doubt,” Tomlin said. “But as we always do, man, we are going to let the development do our work for us. We put a lot of effort into this development. There are a lot of good players on both sides of the ball.”

Tomlin was addressing a question about the Steelers offense, which finished No. 30 last season and averaged 10 points a game in three consecutive losses that closed the season, resulting in an 8-8 record and playoff absence for the second year in a row.

On offense, for every position that seems plausible for an early-round draft pick, there comes a caveat.

• Another wide receiver would fit well for a group that has quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returning from right elbow surgery. Then again, the Steelers already have JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Diontae Johnson as starters.

Colbert used Roethlisberger’s return to downplay the desire to add a wide receiver with a high pick.

“When you have that caliber of quarterback available, everybody’s play picks up,” he said. “So I’m looking forward to having Ben in the mix and seeing how the rest of the group responds with him, and we’ll factor that into all of our thinking we have as we move forward into the draft.”

• An every-down running back would provide a fallback option in the event James Conner’s health is an issue again. On the other hand, Conner played in the Pro Bowl just two years ago.

Tomlin cited “some top-quality backs in the draft that could help us.” Seconds later, though, Colbert threw his support behind Conner. “I’m not going in thinking we don’t have a starter-capable runner because I know James Conner is.”

• An aging offensive line could use an infusion of youth and depth. However, the Steelers could move Matt Feiler to left guard and allow Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner to compete at left tackle. And they signed Stefen Wisniewski to compete at left guard and back up center Maurkice Pouncey.

• The defense, which finished No. 5 in the final rankings and No. 3 against the pass, was rejuvenated by the early season trade for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, which cost the Steelers their first-rounder this year. Still, there is a noticeable lack of depth at both linebacker spots, and the Steelers could use a nose tackle to fill the void created when Javon Hargrave left via free agency.

Safety is another position where the Steelers are thin behind starters Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds.

With only six draft picks, their smallest allotment since 2003, and just one in the first 100, the Steelers won’t be able to reinforce every position in this draft class. That could provide an emphasis on signing undrafted free agents.

Tomlin believes the Steelers will make the most of their draft capital.

“We can utilize good players on both sides of the ball and special teams,” Tomlin said. “We are going to come out of this thing with the guys that we need, no doubt. Our shared history together gives me that comfort, and we’ll get our needs addressed on offense, defense and special teams.”