Browns 2023 opponent’s offseason review Week 2, 11: Pittsburgh Steelers

With the slowdown in Cleveland Browns and NFL news since the end of minicamp, we have kept you up to date with all kinds of rankings and thoughts from the national media. We also want to start to prepare you for the upcoming season.

While the Browns were busy adding a ton of players to their roster through NFL free agency, trades and the NFL draft, the teams they will face on their 2023 schedule have been doing the same.

Going in order of games on Cleveland’s schedule, we will bring up to date on what is new for those teams this year.

We started with the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that robbed Peter to pay Paul a bit this offseason. In Week 2 and 11, the Browns face off with the Pittsburgh Steelers. A look at their offseason so far:

Steelers Departures

• LB Devin Bush
• CB Cameron Sutton
• LB Robert Spillane
• S Terrell Edmunds
• RT Trenton Scott
• DE/OLB Malik Reed
• C JC Hassenauer
• WR Steven Sims

Pittsburgh didn’t lose a lot of big names in free agency but Sutton, Spillane, Edmunds and Bush were useful parts of the defense.

Steelers Additions

• CB Patrick Peterson
• RT Le’Raven Clark
• WR Allen Robinson
• OL Isaac Seumalo
• DE/OLB Markus Golden
• S Keanu Neal
• LB Cole Holcomb
• DT Armon Watts
• LB Tanner Muse
• OL Nate Herbig
• P Braden Mann
• LB Elandon Roberts
• DT Breiden Fehoko
• DT Manny Jones

Looking at the departures and additions, Pittsburgh shuffled a lot of positions in which they hope they have upgraded. Seumalo may not be the biggest name but he should have the biggest impact. Adding a variety of veterans, including Patterson, is slightly risky given age but the well-coached Steelers tend to figure out ways to use them.

Keep DT Larry Ogunjobi could end up being the biggest move the team made.

Steelers NFL Draft

• OT Broderick Jones
• CB Joey Porter Jr.
• DT Keeanu Benton
• TE Darnell Washington
• DE/OLB Nick Herbig
• CB Cory Trice Jr.
• OL Spencer Anderson

Pittsburgh got a lot of size with their selections this year. While some have questions about Jones’ projection, the Steelers needed to improve their offensive line. Porter getting to play for his dad’s team is special but it may end up being the picks of Benton, Washington and Herbig that really define this draft.

Offseason Overview

The Steelers churned talent and added veterans to the defense while improving their offensive line. Pittsburgh continues to bet on size to win out and, generally, that has worked for them. While they have been great at developing defenders and wide receivers, getting the offensive line to the next level is vital for the team.

In the end, the Steelers got better overall but their future depends greatly on the development of Kenny Pickett. If he can be protected better and Najee Harris returns to his rookie form, the second-year QB will have a chance to prove he is the team’s future.