The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a position to make huge splashes in the NFL Draft. In that case, these three players may not be on the roster afterward.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had a close call with head coach Mike Tomlin nearly experiencing his first losing season, but they managed to finish the 2022 season with a 9-8 record. Although they fell short of making the playoffs, the team's prospects look promising with quarterback Kenny Pickett leading the way. That being said, they must work on reinforcing their squad on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field to support him.
The Pittsburgh team made significant moves during the offseason by acquiring cornerback Patrick Peterson and offensive guard Isaac Seumalo. However, they are not done yet and are eyeing the upcoming NFL Draft to strengthen their team further. Their aim is to be competitive in the very challenging AFC league. Adding new talents through the draft also means that some existing players may face tougher competition for their positions in the team.
Here are three players who might not be on the roster after the NFL Draft.
3 players who won’t be on the roster after NFL Draft, No. 3: Gunner Olszewski
The Steelers boast of having two talented wide receivers, namely Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, in their roster. Although Johnson hasn't scored as many touchdowns as he did in previous seasons, he remains a formidable force in the passing game. On the other hand, Pickens has displayed his ability to make incredible catches along the sidelines. However, the team could benefit from adding more depth to their wide receiver corps during the offseason.
At present, the Pittsburgh team has not secured a top-notch wide receiver through free agency. However, they could make up for it by selecting one in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Although they don't necessarily have to use their 17th-overall pick to acquire a wide receiver, they do have the option to use the 32nd pick they obtained from the Chicago Bears in the Chase Claypool trade. It's highly probable that a talented wide receiver may still be available in the second round of the draft, which would give quarterback Pickett another valuable target to throw to.
When analyzing the Steelers' depth chart, Gunner Olszewski's position on the team could be in jeopardy. The team signed him to a two-year contract last offseason after he began his career with the New England Patriots, where he excelled as a returner. However, he was eventually benched by the Steelers in favor of fellow wide receiver Steven Sims, who had more returns. Sims managed to return 17 kickoffs for 434 yards and 19 punts for 105 yards, whereas Olszewski returned only three kickoffs for 30 yards and eight punts for 55 yards.
Should the Steelers decide to part ways with Olszewski, they could save $2 million in cap space while incurring $617,500 in dead cap space in 2023, according to Spotrac.
