Steelers Daily Links: Offensive Line Upgrades; Freiermuth First-Down King

Two different outlets have identified the offensive line as an area that the Pittsburgh Steelers need to upgrade on as they enter the 2023 offseason.

🏈 Bleacher Report: Kristopher Knox thinks the Steelers should look for an upgrade over left guard Kevin Dotson, who finished this past season with four sacks allowed and 12 penalties, according to Pro Football Focus. Knox also thinks the Steelers need to replace left tackle Dan Moore Jr., who was responsible for 10 penalties and seven sacks allowed, per PFF. “If Pittsburgh can free up the necessary cap space, targeting proven veterans like Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and guards Ben Powers or Nate Davis would make plenty of sense,” Knox wrote. Knox also mentioned Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. as an option in the draft to bolster the O-line.

🏈 The Athletic: NFL staff went through the biggest offseason needs for all 32 NFL teams and how teams can fill them. For the Steelers it was the offensive line. “Take your pick — offensive line, cornerback, inside linebacker and defensive line. You can make a pretty convincing case for each of those positions as being the Steelers’ greatest need, but one sticks out more than the others. The Steelers dumped a lot of money in the right side of their offensive line a year ago. However, there is still a lack of top-end talent, especially at left tackle,” Mark Kaboly wrote. “The Steelers haven’t drafted a tackle in the first round since 1996 but could address it with the 17th pick. It is highly unlikely they will go the free-agency route, leaving the draft as the main avenue. What makes this offseason unusual is that the Steelers aren’t married to upgrading the offensive line specifically. All four positions need to be upgraded in some capacity.”

🏈 Steelers.com: Connor Heyward discussed his rookie season with Teresa Varley. “I knew it wasn’t going to be handed to me,” Heyward said. “Everything had to be earned. I am going to continue to go out there and do my job. If it’s one snap or 30 snaps, do it to the best of my ability. I feel like I have been used in a lot of different ways. As the season went on, it was more and more. I understand that as a rookie they didn’t want to throw too much at me. As the season went on, they gave me more and more. Hopefully next year it continues to be that way. The more the better.”

🏈 Steelers.com: Larry Ogunjobi credited his teammates and Mike Tomlin for finishing 7-2 in the second-half of the season. “Sometimes it’s hard to find organic people, but those guys are truly organic and real,” Ogunjobi said. “They want the best for everybody around them. All of the guys in the locker room are like that and when guys are like that, they play for each other. That’s how you can turn around 2-6 to 9-8. It was a testament to the men in the room.”

🏈 The Score: Pat Freiermuth is one of eight tight ends in NFL history to turn 70+ receptions into first downs over their first two seasons in the NFL. He joins a group that includes the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, George Kittle, Jeremy Shockey, Antonio Gates, and a few others.

Aaron Wilson: Steelers veteran cornerback William Jackson III and his fiancee have opened Escape Spa in Cypress, Texas.

STEELERS DRAFT DIGEST

Steelers Draft Digest: Omar Khan Attends HBCU Combine, Top Tackle Mocked to Pittsburgh

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