EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 22: Tackle Kelvin Beachum #68 of the New York Jets blocks against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.(Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)
There’s been no playoffs for Mike Tomlin’s team the past two seasons. What veterans can the Pittsburgh Steelers still add to change that in 2020?
It’s been over a decade now since the Pittsburgh Steelers won their sixth Super Bowl. And it will be 10 years this season since the team made its last appearance in the “Big Game.” The latter was in 2010, when Mike Tomlin’s club fell short on Super Sunday to the Green Bay Packers, 31-25.
While Mike Tomlin’s team has made its share of postseason appearances since and without much success, the past two years have marred by injuries, controversy and a few disgruntled players. In 2018, the club dropped four of its last six games after a 7-2-1 start. The Steelers are coming off an 8-8 campaign in which it wound up starting three different quarterbacks. The team made a run at the playoffs despite those issues but still landed with a thud, dropping their final three contests.
The big news this offseason is the anticipated return of veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who missed the final 14 games a year ago and underwent elbow surgery. He appears to be ready to go. But is this team primed to rebound. With very little salary cap room to play with, who could general manager Kevin Colbert still add to the mix to make the Black and Gold more formidable?
5. T Kelvin Beachum (New York Jets)
A seventh-round draft choice by the Steelers in 2012, tackle Kelvin Beachum played in 44 regular season contests for Mike Tomlin’s team and made 39 starts in four years. The former SMU product would move onto the Jaguars and start 15 contests for the Jaguars in 2016.
The past three seasons, Beachum has been a regular in the opening lineup for the New York Jets. He played and start 45 games for the Green and White, including all 16 outings in both 2017 and ’18. And it’s very possible that the Steelers would be getting back a better offensive lineman than Beacham was before he left the team. He is more than familiar with the organization and would provide experienced depth up front.