Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers opened the 2019 season against three would-be playoff teams—the Patriots, Seahawks, and 49ers. That’s was some tough sleddin’—and even more difficult without Ben Roethlisberger under center. But it left the team in an 0-3 hole, and things were looking bleak. Like them or hate them, though, you have to give credit to the Steelers, and more directly, to head coach Mike Tomlin. The rest of the season was filled with moments of ups and moments of “Whoa! Whoa! Duck!” Yet, the team managed to finish the year at 8-8. And remember, the OT loss to the No. 1 overall seed, the Baltimore Ravens, was a game the Steelers fumbled away.
2020 Resolution: Spend more! The Steelers had ignored the concept of spending on free agents since the days when there were only two rivers. But 2020 needs to be viewed at a different angle, sort of a “Big Ben is our quarterback and that’s got a shelf life of maybe two seasons, so let’s surround him with viable talent.” No, this is not a call for a cash-spin frenzy. Some current pieces make sense. However, securing the defense—tagging/signing Bud Dupree and Javon Hargrave, for starters—and then focusing on compensatory picks for other positions is a good step in the right direction.