The offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been quite a busy one, to say the least.

With very little wiggle room thanks to the salary cap, everyone knew this would not be pretty. But just 10 days into free agency, they have already made several moves. While they have brought numerous players in, they have also lost a lot as well.

Let’s look at the Pittsburgh Steelers offseason and how it could affect the team going into next year.

Pittsburgh Steelers Departures

• TE Vance McDonald (retired)
• C Maurkice Pouncey (retired)
• LB Bud Dupree (five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Tennessee Titans)
• OL Matt Feiler (three-year, $21 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers)
• CB Mike Hilton (four-year, $24 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals)
• LB Vince Williams (released)
• LB Ola Adeniyi (one-year, $ TBD contract with the Tennessee Titans)
• CB Steven Nelson (released)

Just looking at the names on this list, these losses are really going to hurt the Steelers.

The offensive side took big hits with Pouncey retiring and Feiler going to the Chargers. Pouncey was a mainstay on the offensive line, starting at center for the last 10 years. Feiler moving from tackle to guard helped reinforce the line last season after losing Zach Banner in Week 1. However, McDonald retiring shouldn’t cause too many issues since there is plenty of depth at the tight end position.

On the flip side, the defense easily suffered the worst casualties. Personally, I think the biggest losses were Dupree, Hilton and Williams. Dupree and T.J. Watt were a fantastic duo on the edges, creating chaos for opposing offenses week after week. When he and Devin Bush went down with injuries last season, the defense never looked the same.

Losing Hilton stung a little bit more, especially since he signed with the Bengals. He was one of, if not the most, consistent player on the roster. His versatile mix of pass rushing, blitzing and pass coverage made him an integral part of the Steelers secondary. Unfortunately, now Pittsburgh will have to deal with him twice next season.

Pittsburgh releasing Williams was a big surprise to many. He was one of the best tacklers last season, amassing 70 in 14 games. That was third best on the team, only behind Avery Williamson and Minkah Fitzpatrick. However, money looked to be the main reason, with his release freeing up $4 million in cap space.

Adeniyi departing for the Titans doesn’t seem like a big deal. But it does hurt the Steelers’ depth at linebacker, something they’ll need to address in the coming months. Nelson was released in part because of money, but also because the team thinks Cam Sutton will be an upgrade over him. We’ll have to wait and see if they are correct or not.

Acquisitions/Re-signs

• OL J.C. Hassenauer (one-year, $780,000) *re-signed*
• LB Marcus Allen (one-year, $780,000) *re-signed*
• WR Ray-Ray McCloud (one-year, $1 million) *re-signed*
• OL BJ Finney (one-year, $1,127,500)
• OL Zach Banner (two-year, $9.5 million) *re-signed*

• WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (one-year, $8 million) *re-signed*
• CB Cam Sutton (two-year, $9 million) *re-signed*
• WR Tyler Simmons (one-year, $660,000)
• DE Chris Wormley (two-year, $3.3 million) *re-signed*
• LB Robert Spillane (one-year, $850,000) *re-signed*

• OL Joe Haeg (two-year, $4.6 million)
• DB Miles Killebrew (one-year, $ TBD)
• LB Cassius Marsh (one-year, $ TBD) *re-signed*
• DE Tyson Alualu (two-year, $ TBD) *re-signed*

Now let’s look at the players the Pittsburgh Steelers have either re-signed or brought in.

For the offense, these moves were all about shoring up the offensive line and receiving core. Hassenauer looks to be the new starting center, unless Finney wins that job in training camp. If not, having him back on the line is a plus.

Banner’s upcoming season is all about redemption. He won the starting right tackle job in training camp last year, only to tear his ACL in Week 1. It’s safe to say he’ll be determined to earn that spot again this year and stay healthy. Bringing in Haeg helps replace the void left by Feiler; he can play both tackle and guard, which gives the Steelers more options on the line.

While McCloud is listed as a receiver, it looks like he’ll continue to play on special teams. He was the go-to return man last year but can surely slide into the offensive scheme if needed. Signing Simmons helps add more receiving depth and options for the Steelers’ offense.

Perhaps the one move no one saw coming was the Steelers re-signing Smith-Schuster. It almost seemed like a guarantee that they could not afford him, yet here we are. Many thought his desire to stay in the Steel City was just talk. However, he proved his loyalty and signed for less money than what several teams offered him. Bringing him back ensures that a crucial piece of the offense stays here for at least another year.

Then there is the defense, where Sutton and Alualu are the two biggest pieces coming back. As mentioned above, the Steelers have a lot of faith in Sutton. They believe his playmaking ability and versatility is the answer, so let’s hope they are right.

A week ago, no one even expected Alualu to return. The Jaguars were close to signing him, but things took an unexpected turn. His trip to Jacksonville was delayed due to him contracting COVID-19.

While in quarantine, Cam Heyward and other members of the defensive line convinced him to stay in Pittsburgh. It also helped that he built his dream home here and had his kids already in school. Keeping him at nose tackle is a huge plus for the defensive line. It helps keep some veteran presence on the defense, especially after all the free agency losses so far.

Re-signing Allen, Wormley, Spillane and Marsh, as well as adding Killebrew, adds more defensive depth. Depending on how training camp goes, some of them may find themselves as starters by the time the season rolls around.

Without a doubt, the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to look very different next season. While they did retain and bring in a lot of guys, the ones they lost are going to be sorely missed. Even with all these moves, Pittsburgh will certainly turn to the draft to help several positions on both sides of the ball.

Only time will tell if this team is a contender or not. But until then buckle up, because the rest of free agency is sure to be a wild ride.

The post Hixon: The offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers so far in 2021 appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Castle.