The Pittsburgh Steelers have added several new pieces to their roster via free agency, trades, and the NFL Draft. After an eventful two months, did Pittsburgh do enough? And what is the long-term plan at linebacker? We discuss in today’s mailbag.
Q: Why no big, fast, mean ass , hard hitting ILB ? If the OLB,s are rushing the QB who,s stopping the run? – wikedtruth
A: I was surprised they didn’t draft one. I would have liked to have seen Kyle Louis from Pitt or Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech, but both
went to the Dolphins. I envision ILB being the No. 1 or No. 2 need, depending on what they do at quarterback in 2027.
Q: After having time to review the pick, was the Lemon non-trade not as bad as it seemed in the heat of the moment? Mad Max should be a contributor early… and Lemon not so much as WR3? – Polamolecules_Dude
A: It’s still pretty bad. It’s stand by my opinion that Lemon and a tackle in round two would have been far better than Iheanachor and Bernard. Obviously, we’ll see it play out and I’m rooting for both Iheanachor and Bernard, but if Lemon ends up being a star, it’ll make it an even tougher pill to swallow. Hopefully Max is ready to go right away and can be a good starter while Bernard proves to be a good slot option.
Q: Just curious, are we comfortable with the middle of are defense ? ILB’s still a big question. Safeties are past they prime. No telling how Elliot returns… I don’t think we addressed are biggest weakness on are defense at all! – Keepitreal412
A: Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson can hold down the fort for 2026, but Queen is gone in 2027. Not too worried about safeties. Brisker is only entering his fifth year. Elliott is a worry due to his injury history, but if they move Ramsey back to safety, they have three solid ones. Hopefully they end up extending Brisker.
Q: If Max Iheanachor turns out to be that dude at RT, and the Steelers decide to position Fautanu elsewhere along the line, (I have a feeling that young man will prosper wherever he’s planted!) what do you anticipate the starting Offensive Line makeup to be? – SteelerSince73!
A: If Iheanachor is the right tackle, I’d say it would look like this:
- LT: Fautanu
- LG: Dunker
- C: Frazier
- RG: McCormick
- RT: Iheanachor
Q: What level of performance does Troy Fautanu need to display to get his fifth-year extension this time next year? – Dooogs
A: If he plays anywhere near the level he did a year ago, they’ll pick it up. He’s very good.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
