3 Pro Bowlers the Steelers should sign this offseason
DJ Chark of the Detroit Lions runs with the ball as D.J. Reed of the New York Jets defends (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
After a rough start in 2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers finished strong. Could some savvy pros get them back in the playoffs for the third time in four years?
This past season, the Pittsburgh Steelers overcame a brutal 2-6 start to win seven of their final nine games. The team finished third in the AFC North with a 9-8 record but failed to return to the playoffs for a third consecutive year.
There is optimism and skepticism in regard to Mike Tomlin’s team. Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett made strides as the season unfolded and the Steelers limited each of their final seven opponents to 17 points or less. However, many have questioned the caliber of competition down the stretch and there were too many instances of the club being manhandled earlier in the year.
The NFL’s new league year begins on March 15. It will be interesting to see how busy new general manager Omar Khan and the team is during free agency. The Steelers also have the 17th, 32nd (via the Bears) and 49th overall picks in April’s draft.
The following three performers were not named to the Pro Bowl in 2022, but all three have at least one invitation on their resumes. In the case of the top choice here, you could argue he has a Hall of Fame resume and is still playing quality football. What can’t be argued is that he is available to be signed right away.
In any case, each of these players (once on the open market) would bolster a franchise that hasn’t won a postseason game since 2016.
Pro Bowlers the Steelers should sign this offseason: 3. WR DJ Chark (Lions)
He enjoyed a Pro Bowl campaign in his second season in the league. In a year in which the Jacksonville Jaguars finished 6-10 and in last place in the AFC South, wide receiver DJ Chark caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. He would play in a combined 17 contests the next two seasons, including only four games in 2021.
Last offseason, the 2019 second-round pick from LSU inked a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions. He wound up playing in only 11 games, catching 30 passes for 502 yards and three scores. What stands out is Chark’s 16.7 yards per reception.
